ST. CHARLES – State's Attorney John Barsanti remembers a calm, "matter-of-fact" Brian Dugan, confessing to multiple crimes including the abduction and murder of a 27-year-old nurse from Geneva.
He was reminded Tuesday of that more-than two-decades-old confession as Dugan pleaded guilty to another murder – this time to the 1983 killing of Jeanine Nicarico of Naperville – before a DuPage County judge.
Barsanti met Dugan in 1985 in La Salle County after investigators there told Kane County prosecutors that Dugan could be responsible for the 1984 murder of 27-year-old Donna Schnorr, along with the sexual assault of another young woman in North Aurora and the attempted abduction of a Geneva girl.
In July 1984, Schnorr's car was found abandoned and unlocked on Randall Road, with evidence that it had been run off the road. Schnorr's body later was found in a gravel pit near the Mooseheart campus in unincorporated Kane County, Barsanti said.
Police were able to gather paint on Schnorr's car that was left from the car responsible for running it off the road, Barsanti said. But the forensic analysis pointed to many cars and police were unable to pinpoint a vehicle.
Then, Dugan was arrested for the abduction and murder of a 7-year-old DeKalb County girl. That multi-jurisdictional investigation resulted in Dugan's offer to confess to other crimes he had committed, if prosecutors promised not to seek the death penalty.
"At that point [the Schnorr murder] was not a chargeable case," Barsanti said. "Early on, we had no idea who it was."
Besides the fact that police could not identify a vehicle from the paint smear, they also could not pull much evidence from Schnorr's body because she had been strangled under water and left there, Barsanti said.
But, the victims in the other two Kane County crimes could identify Dugan, and police were able to tie him to the murder of 7-year-old Melissa Ackerman of Somonauk, whose body was found in La Salle County.
Dugan had LaSalle and DeKalb county officials call in Kane County prosecutors involving their investigations, and Barsanti was sent along with another assistant state's attorney.
"We heard he was willing to confess and clear all cases we had against him if we took death off the table," Barsanti said. "I went down there on a Saturday to talk to him about it. He confessed to all three of them."
Barsanti recalls a calm Dugan who confessed to multiple violent crimes in a "nonchalant" and "matter-of-fact" way.
Dugan described how he saw Schnorr driving alone in her car on Randall Road, drove her off the road and punched her in the jaw, Barsanti said.
He then dragged an unconscious Schnorr to his car, took her to a gravel pit and eventually strangled her under water, Barsanti said.
"What always struck me is how utterly emotionless he was," Barsanti said. "He admitted every single thing without any kind of remorse. I'll always remember it because of the way he acted."
Roger Schnorr was 25 when he lost his older sister.
"It's just been a really hard thing for our family," he said. "She was really hard to lose."
Schnorr describes his sister, Donna, as a friendly woman who "was loved by so many people."
Roger Schnorr , who lives in Aurora, has attended many court hearings for Dugan, but could not be in court Tuesday.
He said he's looking forward to closure when the Nicarico case concludes.
"Of course you want the death penalty ... but it's never going to bring back my sister or Jeanine or Melissa," he said.
Dugan eventually pleaded guilty to the crimes and was sentenced to two life sentences for the Schnorr and Ackerman murders.
DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott recalls the Melissa Ackerman murder, which occurred in June 1985, because it was what lead to Dugan's arrest – and it was in Scott's first few months as sheriff. Dugan also tried to snatch Melissa's friend, but she got away.
He still keeps a picture of Melissa in his office.
"It was a horrible case that just kind of stays with you forever," Scott said.
Melissa's friend got away and immediately told what she had seen, Scott said, which allowed authorities to be notified of the abduction minutes after it happened. A police officer in Mendota noticed his vehicle in a parking lot, Scott said, and although the officer had no basis to arrest him he took some basic notes about the car. It helped lead to Dugan's arrest a few days later.
Dugan sexually assaulted and then drowned Melissa; her body was found about two weeks later in La Salle County. Dugan was already in custody, Scott said, having been picked up on outstanding warrants from the assault and attempted abduction in Kane County.
"I think it's amazing that, and it shouldn't be amazing to me because of my job, but it's amazing that someone like that could exist and carry out these crimes," Scott said.
A DuPage County jury will decide whether Dugan should be sentenced to another life sentence, or the death penalty, in the Nicarico case. That process will begin in September.
• Chronicle News Group editor Kate Schott and wire reports contributed to this report.
