A Polygraph Test Would Be a Good Starting Point for Brian Illingworth

Channel 7's Kassandra Sepeda just did an excellent Podcast on Deidre's Case. One of the breakthroughs was she actually spoke with former Wood County Sheriff Brian Illingworth. In a portion of the interview Illingworth is asked if he would submit to a polygraph -- as to his knowledge of the case. He appeared to be a bit incredulous as to why that request might be made. We think there is good cause to make that request BUT before we go there ---

It's important to note that for 24 of the last 36 years (1988 -2024) two men served as Sheriff of Wood County; Brian Illingworth and Thomas Reichert. Illingworth was Sheriff at the time of Deidre's death. His close ties to the eyewitness, and other family members (one who was in the vicinity of the incident that evening) are well documented, and the podcast covers some of them...

It is also well documented that he carried on an ongoing feud with the Week Family during the critical early months of the investigation, and that the Week family's April requests to get the case transferred to the state Dept. of Criminal Investigation (DCI) wasn't acted open favorably until August of 1995; During those critical first months of the investigation, when leads were not pursued and discrepancies in statements not subjected to scrutiny, the lead investigator, as Illingworth notes in the podcast was --- Thomas Reichert.

The same Thomas Reichert who was later Wood County Sheriff for 13 years (2005-2019). The Case Study points out that it was Reichert who missed discrepancies in the eyewitness and other suspects' stories and recollections; again, costing critical time and possible resolution of the case.

Thus, two key individuals legally responsible, by definition of the jobs they held, for Justice for Deidre, were either conflicted/compromised or arguably incompetent. Illingworth's ties to the eyewitness and other members of his extended family continues up to the present day. He has lived in various parts of the country since his tenure as Sheriff ended, but when he returns to Central Wisconsin he has stayed on several occasions with members of that extended family.

So, with that -- we return to the question of why a polygraph might be appropriate for former Sheriff Illingworth. The podcast was excellent, but it didn't get into the former Sheriff's Breakdown in early 1997 and its possible connection to Deidre's Case. Long time residents will remember that the former Sheriff was institutionalized in Rock County early in that year. Numerous articles written at that time indicate that the department didn't handle that situation particularly well. That is a matter of public record that can be revisited if you want to research it.

What is NOT a matter of public record is what was going on with the investigation into Deidre's Case at the time of the then Sheriff's Breakdown. Connect his breakdown with the Case Study and you find that it was during this time when a competent investigator from DCI (John Rehrauer) focused on the actions of the eyewitness and some of his other family members; in particular one who was at JoJo's Bar in Vesper that evening.

It is an amazing coincidence that this is when the breakdown occurs and when Dr. O'Rourke from Rock County called the Wood County Sheriff's Dept. in a panic indicating the Sheriff was suicidal and dangerous; adding " He did not want to be discharged from the hospital when he was discharged. I felt that he wasn't really making any more gains .... and that he needed to get back into dealing with reality

versus hiding out.... "

Hiding out?? From what?? Knowledge of Deidre's Case and those involved?? A polygraph might dispel that innuendo or confirm it. It would thus seem on the surface that Kassandra Sepeda's suggestion may have merit!

Brian Illingworth is now 77 years of age. Recent sightings indicate his health is not the best. Since a polygraph test administered to the eyewitness in the spring of 1995 was used as an indication that he was telling the truth (the podcast didn't point out that those results were later called into question by the administrator of that test). It would indeed be interesting as Kassandra Sepeda suggested, to have the former Sheriff come back to Central Wisconsin and take a polygraph himself, before it is too late to ascertain his knowledge of the case, and also to assess how truthful he has been about what he knows.

Officers of the law should be competent and above reproach. It's questionable if the two former Wood County Sheriff's lived up to that high standard. If former Sheriff Illingworth has nothing to hide and wants to clear his name in the eyes of public opinion, addressing concerns about his role in this tragic case, by taking a polygraph test would be a good starting point.

-Anonymous Writer