'Butcher' Murderer From Lockport No Longer In Channahon: Here's Where He Lives Now

CHANNAHON, IL — The village of Channahon is no longer the permanent residence for Lockport's notorious "butcher" murderer, John Raue. After living in Channahon's Indian Trails north subdivision during the past few years, the 61-year-old convicted murderer has moved to the City of Chicago, according to Will County Courthouse files.

On Feb. 24, 2022, the 58-year-old Raue was paroled from the Stateville Correctional Center, after being incarcerated for 31 years and seven-and-a-half months. After leaving the Illinois Department of Corrections, Raue moved to Channahon to live in an upscale subdivision at a house owned by his family members. At that time, he had to register his address with the Channahon Police Department.

However, according to court files and the Illinois State Police Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth registry, Raue is now living at 2122 North Keystone Apartment G in Chicago, and he is registering his address with the Chicago Police Department.

He is a lifetime registrant and also has two nicknames, Johnny R and X, the registry noted.

In early July 1990, Lockport native John Raue killed his 22-year-old wife Sonya Rene Raue while their 3-year-old son slept— then he cut off her head, arms, legs, torso and put them into separate trash bags for the garbage truck to retrieve.

Raue's 70-Year Prison Sentenced Reduced By Appeals Court

Raue, then 26, dismembered his wife's body after using a rope or cord to suffocate her; she also suffered one blow to her head, according to autopsy findings. He attempted to conceal murdering her. On July 2, 1990, he hauled several trash bags containing her dismembered body parts to the street curb in the 400 block of East 14th Street in Lockport.

Two garbage men unknowingly threw the bags into the back of their garbage truck. But as the men compacted the garbage, one of the bags tore open, and a human leg came out. Horrified, the garbage men notified Lockport's Police Department, and the rest of Sonya Rene Raue's body was recovered from inside the five other garbage bags.

Jeff Baldacci, Will County's Assistant State's Attorney at the time, reminded the jury it took at least two to three minutes for Sonya Rene to die from strangulation. Baldacci reminded the jury how John Raue dismembered her body and put her in the trash bags for the garbage truck to haul away.

"Before you go back in the jury room and take a handkerchief and dab your eyes for John Raue, remember he never cried for Sonya Raue," Baldacci told the jury.

Raue was initially sentenced to 60 years of prison for Renee Raue's first-degree murder and another 10 years for concealment of her death, for a total of 70 years. However, an appeals court later overturned the sentencing. During a re-sentencing, Raue's concealment of a death conviction was reduced from 10 years to five years.

To learn more, visit the Illinois State Police murderer and violent offender registry.