Former Algonquin Man Sentenced For Fatally Shooting Man Over Drug Debt

A former Algonquin man who murdered a Bartlett man to avoid paying a drug debt has been sentenced to 50 years in prison, prosecutors said Thursday. Gary M. Bennett, 38, who most recently lived in Denver, Colo., was convicted in Match of first-degree murder and concealing a homicidal death for fatally shooting Keith K. Crawford, 36, in August 2014. The jury also found Bennett was responsible for firing the gun that killed Bennett.

On the night of Aug. 10, 2014 Bennett and his friend, co-defendant Joan Sebastian Vado-Bonilla, 29, of West Dundee, drove to a party in unincorporated Dundee Township, according to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. Bennett then convinced Crawford, who frequently supplied cocaine to Bennett, to drive with them to a location near Valley View to get money to partially repay Crawford, who he owed money to, and to buy more cocaine, according to prosecutors.

Crawford sat in the front passenger seat while Bennett sat behind Crawford, with Vado-Bonilla driving. As the car traveled south on Route 31 in West Dundee, Bennett drew a handgun and shot Crawford in the back of the head, killing him,, according to the news release. Bennett and Vado-Bonilla put Crawford’s body into a Dumpster garbage bin at an apartment complex on Todd Farm Road in Elgin, prosecutors said.

Crawford’s body was never found.

The case was unsolved for nearly a year until Vado-Bonilla came forward and agreed to cooperate with investigators. Vado-Bonilla pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2015, to concealment of a homicidal death, a Class 3 felony. Hewas sentenced to 30 months of probation, according to the Elgin Courier-News.

Kane County Judge John A. Barsanti sentenced Bennett to 20 years for first-degree murder plus a mandatory 25-year enhancement because Bennett fired the gun that killed Crawfor. Barsanti sentenced Bennett to five additional years for concealing the homicide, according to prosecutors.

According to Illinois law, Bennett must serve the full murder sentence. He is eligible for day-for-day credit on the concealment sentence. He receives credit for 690 days served in the Kane County jail.

“Mr. Bennett chose greed over Keith Crawford’s life. His violence was fueled by his frequent drug use, his ego and his complete lack of respect for human life. Those misplaced priorities mean he most likely will die in prison. I hope Keith Crawford’s family feels a sense of justice in this sentence,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said.