Question over transcript pushes back start of Crystal Lake double homicide trial

More than three years after a woman and her teenage sister were shot and killed in a Crystal Lake home, the man charged in connection with the homicides has yet to go to trial.

Ryan Yarber, 34, has been held in the McHenry County Jail on $5 million bond since his arrest Aug. 3, 2017, on first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of his wife, 31-year-old Allania Yarber, and her 15-year-old sister, Anniyah Reynolds.

He has pleaded not guilty, claiming he shot the women in self-defense.

After multiple trial dates had been set, then continued, he was to go to trial this month.

However, with additional motions yet to be argued, including the defense’s motion to bar an informant’s testimony, as well as prosecutors’ motions to bar two expert witnesses for the defense, the trial was rescheduled and likely will be pushed back to 2021.

The delays are in part because of the withdrawal of Yarber’s first attorney, Vincent Cornelius, who withdrew from the case in 2018 after being elected as circuit judge for the 12th Circuit Court in Will County.

Prosecutors argued Friday before McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge for the admittance of transcripts of a police interview with Yarber that occurred sometime after midnight Aug. 4, 2017. Prosecutors declined to say what statements were made in the interview.

Assistant State’s Attorney Randi Freese questioned Crystal Lake Detective David Eitel about the quality of the recording of the interview, which he conducted along with Crystal Lake Detective Dimitri Boulahanis.

Eitel said the recording was “fairly poor.” The recording was sent to audio experts to help clear it up, but portions still were hard to hear. He used notes and his memory to aid in the transcription, he said.

Freese argued that the 24 pages of transcripts would help the jury unravel what is said on the portions of audio that are not clear. She wants the jury to be able to use the transcripts during trial and in deliberations.

But Coppedge and Yarber’s defense attorneys questioned the integrity of Eitel’s transcriptions.

Defense attorney Kristine Honiotes questioned the “accuracy and reliability” of the transcription. She said the first time Eitel tried to transcribe the audio was almost a year after the interview.

Coppedge will listen to the estimated hour-and-a-half recording and give his ruling Sept. 30. Additional motions also are set to be argued that day.