Ex-Crest Hill Bus Driver Gets 74 Years In Murder-For-Hire Plot

JOLIET, IL —A 44-year-old Ottawa man and former Crest Hill school bus driver who was previously convicted in a murder-for-hire scheme was sentenced to spend 74 years in prison by a Will County judge, county officials announced on Tuesday.

Christian Shepherd was sentenced after a jury found him guilty in September of a 2010 plot in which prosecutors said he attempted to hire a fellow jail inmate to kill a woman that Shepherd was charged with sexually assaulting, Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow said.

Shepherd was in police custody in May 2010 when prosecutors said he tried to hire the inmate to kill the victim of sexual assault, along with the victim’s mother and two detectives. Prosecutors at the time said that Shepherd gave the inmate a map to the residence of two of his intended victims, as well as a taunting statement for the inmate to read to one of the intended victims.

The inmate Shepherd attempted to hire instead turned the documents over to police and ultimately wore a wire, which allowed the police to record Shepherd on tape planning the murders, according to a news release. After being charged in this case, Shepherd went on to hire a second inmate to kill the initial potential victims as well as the first hitman.

That inmate also informed police about Shepherd’s plans.

Earlier this year, Shepherd was sentenced to 76 years in prison for solicitation of murder for hire and solicitation of murder in the case involving the second hitman. Shepherd was found guilty in that case in November 2022.

“Shepherd is a coward without a soul who tried to hire others to kill for him while behind bars in a failed attempt to silence potential witnesses and save his own skin,” Glasgow said in a statement issued on Tuesday. “I credit the two inmates who spoke up and informed police about Shepherd’s plans. His scheme backfired, and this malevolent criminal will now spend the rest of his days where he belongs — behind bars and removed from society.”

Shepherd currently is serving his sentence in the other murder-for-hire case. The 74-year sentence imposed Tuesday in the first murder-for-hire case will be served consecutively to the 76-year sentence in the second murder-for-hire plot.

Shepherd will receive 143 days credit in the case for time served. The sentences will be served at 85 percent, the state's attorney office said.