SALINE CO.— “The only way I am going to get money out of this bitch is if she’s dead.”
That was just one of stunning statements the jury in the Eldorado Murder for Hire case heard this afternoon following an opening statement by assistant state’s attorney Jason Olson who is prosecuting the case.
On trial is 63-year-old Roger Dale Young, after authorities say he attempted to hire an undercover agent to kill his wife Linda, who later succumbed to the emotional horrors of such a thing and took her own life.
Roger Young is shown here walking out of the courtroom following the day’s presentation of evidence against him.
Prior to the jury coming back in from lunch, Judge Walden Morris denied a prosecution motion to allow Casey Carlile, the daughter of the intended murder victim, to hear testimony.
Judge Morris’ reasoning is that defense attorney Morgan Scroggins has her listed as a witness.
It is common to exclude witnesses from hearing testimony until they themselves have testified and are not expected to be recalled to the stand.
Of course this wouldn’t be the first time Scroggins has placed someone’s name on a witness list and not call them to testify.
Prosecution’s opening statements
Olson gave opening arguments for the prosecution beginning with the statement from Young, “When are we gonna take care of this shit?”
“This shit” being the murder of his wife.
Olsen told the jury that evidence will show that Young had pushed his drinking buddy Jimmy Kocher, from Equality, with such frequency and increasing intensity to find somebody to kill his wife that Kocher contacted authorities.
On March 29, 2012 Illinois State Police Inspector David Blazier outfitted Kocher with an overhear device, commonly referred to as “a wire,” and Kocher met with Young outside the Eldorado American Legion.
Then on March 31 Kocher introduced Young to the ‘prospective hit man,’ another state police inspector.
Scroggins informed the court that he was reserving his opening statement for opening defense case once the prosecution gets done presenting its evidence.
Inspector testifies
The first witness to take the stand was Insp. Blaizer who testified that he has worked for the Saline County Sheriff’s Department for 10 years, with the last four being assigned to the Illinois State Police.
“After speaking with him (Kocher) and him saying that Roger Young wanted him to find someone to kill his wife, he agreed to become a confidential source in the case,” Blaizer said.
Insp. Blaizer then went on to identify an audio recording CD and a DVD, testifying that both were approved by a judge prior to their making.
The last thing Blaizer identified was the $100 that Young had handed the undercover agent (“hit man”) as a down payment for the murder of his wife.
Blaizer was identified as the agent who handled the case and more than likely the one who masterminded the trap into which Young apparently walked into freely and tripped.
Kocher takes the stand
Jimmy Kocher, a huge man with a thundering voice, was called to the stand and during questioning from Olson said that he and Young had been drinking buddies at the Eldorado American Legion since late 2011.
“He said he wanted me to find somebody to kill his wife and at first I just kind of blew it off,” Kocher said.
“And did he persist?” Olsen asked.
“Yes,” Kocher said.
“How often was he talking to you about finding somebody to kill his wife?”
“It became more persistent. At first it was once or twice a month,” Kocher said. “Then it became once a week and then it was every time I saw him.”
Defense attorney Morgan Scroggins
Kocher said once he realized that Young may have been serious that he offered him some advice.
“I told him why don’t you just get a divorce,” Kocher testified. “I said that way you at least get half of everything.
“He filed for divorce and then dropped it for some reason and that’s when he got really persistent.
“I saw that he was so serious and that’s when I contacted Glenn Rountree (Illinois State Police Inspector) and he had me meet with David Blaizer.”
The audiotape
On the March 29, 2012 audiotape jurors listened as Blaizer identified himself, the time (3:39 p.m.) and the authority granting the recording, following which jurors could hear the door chime as Kocher got out of the vehicle and entered the Eldorado American Legion to the sound of loud music and loud voices.
After a while Roger Young approached Kocher, who was having a beer and could be heard distinctly saying, as the loud music played in the background, “When you want to take care of this shit?”
“Let’s walk out to your truck,” Kocher suggested.
Once outside Kocher gave Young yet another chance to change his mind.
“Are you 100 percent sure you want to go through with this?” Kocher asked Young.
“Hell yes!” Young could be heard saying. “I want this shit taken care of if it takes 100 percent of everything I’ve got! I just want it taken care of.”
Kocher informed Young that he could introduce him to a man who would kill his wife.
“But he wants to meet you first,” Kocher said.
“Why does he want to meet me?”
“It’s a trust matter,” Kocher said. “He wants to make sure you’re not going to back out.”
“I am not going to back out?!” Young said, almost sounding insulted.
“He wants to make sure you are not a cop or anything, you know how cops are.”
“I aint no f*cking cop!” Young said.
“He wants you to show him where you want this done and things like that,” Kocher went on to explained. “Maybe you could draw him a map.”
“I can’t draw a map,” young said. “But I can show him.”
“I can introduce you and then I am out of the deal.”
“But I want you in the deal,” Young said.
When Kocher asked Young for about the sixth time if he wanted really wanted to have his wife killed, Young responded with, “Oh, without a doubt.”
“You’re sure?” Kocher asked again.
“I told you I want this shit done!” Young said. “I am tired of waiting. I’m serious.”
Kocher told him he could set it up for March 31.
Saline County Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Olsen is shown here speaking with the family after the first day of trial.
On cross examination, try as he might defense attorney Scroggins tried to make it sound as if murdering Linda Young was Kocher’s idea.
“Didn’t you tell the police that Roger told you that, ‘The only way I am going to get money out of this bitch is if she’s dead’?”
“Yes,” Kocher said.
“And didn’t you ask him how much it would take?”
“Yes.”
“So the idea didn’t come from Roger, it came from you.”
“No.”
“Well why did you say that?”
“It was after he had approached me several times and I was trying to see if he was serious,” Kocher testified.
“So you did say it?”
“Yes.”
“And when he said, ‘When are we going to get this done?’ Didn’t that mean you?” Scroggins asked.
“No, it meant when was I going to find someone to kill his wife,” Kocher responded.
“No further questions,” Scroggins finished up.
Video planned for tomorrow
Kocher testified that on March 31 he met Young back at the Eldorado American Legion.
This time he had the “hit man” waiting out in a van.
Kocher said he and Young, with the hit man driving traveled the route Young wanted used and going over details of how he wanted it done.
That video is expected to be played by the prosecution tomorrow morning.