14-Year-Old Girl Killed; IL Man Charged With Murder, Sex Assault: Police

VANDALIA, IL — A man is charged with murder and sexual assault in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl in downstate Vandalia, according to state police.

Arnold B. Rivera, 43, faces two counts each of first-degree murder and criminal sexual assault, as well as one count each of concealment of a homicide and death concealment after Kylie M. Toberman was found dead by officers Friday in a home in the 1100 block of West Gallatin Street, police said. Rivera is being held pending trial, according to police.

“ISP is aware of a post on social media concerning the death of Toberman and that is part of the ongoing investigation,” Illinois State Police said in a Facebook post Monday.

Megan Zeller, identified by KSDK as the girl’s biological mother, told the outlet that Rivera was the child’s “caretaker” and that Toberman was discovered in an RV behind the home where she lived. Rivera sexually assaulted the girl, strangled her with jumper cables and put her body in a tote, KSDK reported.

Vandalia Community Unit School District 203 Superintendent Jennifer Garrison said in a Facebook post Saturday that the district was “deeply saddened to share that a student in our district has passed away,” adding crisis responders and counselors would be available to the community.

Rivera was previously charged in 2000 with criminal sexual abuse of a child aged 9-16 and burglary, KSDK reported, adding the charges were dropped when he pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in public in a separate case and received probation.