Death of Convicted Man in Illinois Child’s Murder Case

A man who confessed to the sexual assault and murder of a 3-year-old girl in Illinois in 2004 has died in a state prison. According to state records, Scott Eby, 52, passed away at the Menard Correctional Center last Thursday.

The death of Riley Fox, whose body was discovered in a creek near her home, captured national headlines at the time. Her father was initially accused wrongly in the case. Kevin Fox spent eight months in prison before DNA evidence exonerated him. He died earlier this year in a car accident in Arkansas.

Authorities did not provide further details about Eby’s death. The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed his death to news outlets without additional information. The Illinois Department of Corrections has not responded to email or phone inquiries made on Sunday.

In 2010, Eby, who was a convicted sex offender at the time, admitted to kidnapping Riley Fox from her Wilmington home, sexually assaulting her, and drowning her in a creek. Wilmington is located about 60 miles from Chicago.

Authorities identified Eby through DNA evidence collected at the crime scene. Additional clues included a pair of shoes found in the water with Eby’s name on them.

In a statement released Sunday, Kathleen Zellner, former attorney for Kevin Fox, called Eby’s death “a measure of justice for Riley.” “It is ironic that Kevin Fox and Scott Eby both died in 2023. Kevin’s death was a terrible tragedy for him and his family,” she said. “He was a kind and gentle man who loved his children above all.”

Riley Fox’s parents received over $8 million in damages after accusing Will County investigators of planting evidence.