Predators at the Rest Areas
By: Danielle Steenbergen, Mike Olsen, 
Cameron Johnston, Zach Wilson, and Mark McClary



     Rest areas are one of the most dangerous places in America.  At night they are threatening to people.  Many murders have been committed at rest areas.  A murder was committed recently at a rest stop in Pontiac, Illinois.

     A Dewitt County man has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing of a Yorkville woman whose body was found early Thursday morning.  Heather Tomich, 26, died of stab wounds, according to Livingston County States' Attorney Office.
     Kevin M. Bray, 28, is the Dewitt man who is charged with five counts of murder. A public defender, David G. Ahlemeyer, was appointed to represent him at a brief hearing Monday. Bray is being held at the Livingston County Jail. He faces a preliminary hearing in front of Circuit Judge Harold Frobish on February 7. He will be formally arraigned at a later date. The police don’t know whether Tomich was stalked or chosen at random nor do they know how many stab wounds she suffered. Sadly, her body was found 1 a.m. Thursday morning. Police went to the rest stop after receiving a 911 call. According to police, Bray has been arrested several times for offenses including domestic battery, unlawful restraint, and violation of order of protection, theft, and burglary. Police have also been investigating an attempted 
robbery by a gunman at an I-74 rest area in Knox County. Police have not suggested a possible link to the case in Pontiac, January 19,2001, at a rest area on Interstate 55 near Pontiac. 
     We feel like this would be a good time to say be very cautious at rest areas. Many people are dying. For example, Kevin M. Bray has been accused of killing someone at a rest stop. We are sure there are more criminals out there.  Make sure the area is well lit and there are other cars in the parking lot before you attempt to enter the rest area and never do so alone.


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