Convicted Murder, Rapist Released Early Moves From Crystal Lake

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — A man who was released from prison last week after serving half his sentence for raping and murdering an Elgin toddler and who had been living outside of Crystal Lake has moved to an address on Chicago's South Side, according to McHenry County Sheriff’s Department records.

Cayce Williams, 47, had been living at a residence in the 300 block of Briarwood Drive in unincorporated Crystal Lake after being released. However, a search of data of offenders living in the area on Thursday indicated that Williams had moved to the 6600 block of South Perry Avenue which is located in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.

Williams was released from the Dixon Correctional Facility on Feb. 25, which was the 24th anniversary of the death of Quourtney Kley, the 20-month-old daughter of his then-girlfriend. Williams was tasked with babysitting the infant while his then-girlfriend, Margaret Morgan was at work, according to the Lake and McHenry Scanner Report.

Williams was convicted of murder and predatory criminal sex assault charges in Kane County. Patch previously reported that Williams was convicted after he sexually assaulted and the little girl and then beat her to death.

Crystal Lake and Lakewood residents had started a petition on Change.org to object to Williams living in the area after he was released on parole. Over the past week, more than 2,900 people had signed the petition and had also taken to Facebook to voice their concerns about having Williams living in the area.

"I understand the residents' concerns with Williams' release into our community," McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim said last week. "I want to reassure the residents that we proactively and continually verify all of our registered sexual offenders' information to ensure that they comply with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act."

Under Illinois law, a registered sex offender is not allowed to knowingly loiter within 500 feet of a school building while persons under the age of 18 are present in the building or on the grounds. He also can not knowingly reside within 500 feet of a school, playground, child care institution or a home daycare.

Local residents weren’t the only one who opposed Williams not only living where he did for a short time but being out of prison. Last week, Kane County prosecutors said they were against Williams being released.

Jamie Mosser, Kane County State’s Attorney, called his release “horrific” in an interview with Chicago’s ABC7.

“Because of an error in the law, essentially, he was given a great benefit that he did not deserve given what he did to that poor baby,” Mosser told the station.