Auburn, IL: Auburn man to serve 55 years in prison for girlfriend's murder

By CHRIS DETTRO
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Mar 28, 2011 @ 11:00 PM
Last update Mar 29, 2011 @ 06:29 AM

An Auburn man who shot his girlfriend to death and dumped her body in a ditch in 2003 has been sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Harry L. Moore, 36, was convicted by a Sangamon County jury in January of first-degree murder, which is punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison. The jury also found that Moore personally fired the fatal shot, which allowed for an increased sentence.

Circuit Judge Pete Cavanagh on Monday sentenced Moore to 30 years for murder and an additional 25 years for firing the handgun that killed Kimberly J. Kendall, 29, also of Auburn.

Moore, who has been in the Sangamon County Jail for nearly five years, will serve all of his sentence.

Kendall’s mother, Norma Kendall, called Moore “a ruthless, vengeful person that has no value for life.”

“The hurt in my heart, knowing Harry could take Kim’s life, is so unbelievable that anyone can be so cruel,” she said in court.

The jury convicted Moore of shooting Kendall in the back of the head and dumping her body in a ditch either late on Aug. 6 or early on Aug. 7, 2003.

Moore had been living with Kendall for about a year before her death. Witnesses testified that the two had been arguing earlier on the evening of Aug. 6.

Assistant state’s attorney Gray Noll, who along with assistant state’s attorney Jay Magnuson prosecuted the case, said Moore has never accepted responsibility for Kendall’s murder. In his presentence investigation, Noll said, Moore told the Sangamon County probation office that he didn’t have a problem with drugs.

However, Noll said, several witnesses testified that Moore was involved in the use and distribution of methamphetamine.

Sangamon County public defender Bob Scherschligt and first assistant public defender Joe Miller recommended a minimum 45-year sentence, citing Moore’s lack of criminal history.

Kendall’s older sister, Tracey Clark, said Moore never made any attempt in the 2 ½ years before he was arrested to contact Kendall’s family to express sorrow or even acknowledge Kendall’s death.

Kendall's body was found by passers-by the morning of Aug. 7, 2003, in a ditch along Hambuch Road two miles north of Auburn. Moore was a suspect in the killing almost immediately, but he wasn't charged until April 2006.

Noll said additional witnesses came forward during the intervening three years.

The gun thought to be the murder weapon wasn't found until three months after Kendall was killed. It turned up along a route between Moore's house and where Kendall's body was found.

Evidence was presented that the gun belonged to Moore.

Chris Dettro can be reached at 788-1510.