Rita Nitz was charged with murder in May 1988. Rita and her husband, Richard Nitz, lived in a trailer in rural Illinois, near a park which gay men were known to frequent. Richard had a reputation for harassing these men and threatening to kill them because of their sexual orientation.

According to testimony, in April 1988 Michael Miley, one of the men from the park, began arguing with Richard in front of Rita’s home. Richard threatened to kill him if he did not get off his property and then allegedly beat him to death with a baseball bat while Rita watched. When Miley was dead, Rita helped Richard get Miley into the trunk of the car. Rita adamantly denies she participated in the murder. The couple was arrested with Richard being convicted and is serving a life sentence. Rita was also found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

Chanel Boyd grew up in inner city Chicago. Due to the fact that her mother was a drug addict who lived on the streets, Chanel was raised by her grandparents. When she was 15 she became pregnant by a local drug dealer, Jermaine Mullen, and gave birth to a daughter Chontella. After Jermaine had been released from prison following a drug conviction, Chanel and baby Chontella moved in with him.

In February 1988, eight-month-old Chontella began having trouble breathing and was rushed to the hospital. She was put on life support but died two days later. Investigators found evidence of head trauma and Chanel confessed to throwing her baby against a wall. She later recanted her confession and claimed that Jermaine had smashed the baby’s head against the wall.

Both Chanel and Jermaine were tried for the murder of their baby. Although Chanel was only 16 at the time, she was tried as an adult, and found guilty of murder. She was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Jermaine was acquitted due to lack of proof that he was present when baby Chontella received her fatal injuries. Chanel still maintains she is innocent.