A Plainfield Township man is on trial for the 2018 first-degree murder of his girlfriend who died in a “brutal and devastatingly violent attack” in Romeoville, a prosecutor said.

Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius will decide whether George Hooper, 42, is guilty of the first-degree murder of Jennifer Underhill, 42, whose body was discovered on July 23, 2018 in a grassy area near a warehouse in Romeoville.

Hooper’s trial began Monday after seven years and eight months of prolonged pretrial litigation. A few days before trial, Hooper’s attorney, Chuck Bretz, unsuccessfully sought to have the first-degree murder charge dismissed on legal grounds.

During opening statements, Amanda Tasker, a Will County assistant state’s attorney, said Underhill’s body was “battered and bruised” as the result of a “brutal and devastatingly violent attack” by Hooper.

Bretz contends the evidence will show the incident was the result of a “spontaneous, explosive altercation” and “sudden passion” from Hooper that led to a violent outburst.

Bretz told Cornelius his client is not guilty of first-degree murder but he may find Hooper guilty of lesser offenses, such as second-degree murder or involuntary manslaughter.

Homicide investigation

The investigation by Romeoville police detectives led them to learn Hooper was dating Underhill and he believed she was having an affair with Hooper’s brother, Geremy Hooper, 40, according to prosecutors.

Amanda Weck, 41, of Villa Park, is the mother of Geremy Hooper’s children and she suspected he was cheating on her with Underhill, prosecutors said.

Weck joined George to confront Geremy Hooper and Underhill, prosecutors said.

When Weck and George Hooper found their vehicles near a warehouse, they pulled up to Geremy Hooper’s semitrailer, prosecutors said. Weck fired a gun into the air to get Geremy and Underhill out of the semitrailer, prosecutors said.

Following an altercation between Weck, George Hooper and Underhill, George fled the scene, prosecutors said.

George Hooper was later found by police in a vehicle with his mother, Rose Parker, 65, of Aurora, in southern Illinois, prosecutors said. The gun from the incident was found in the vehicle.

George Hooper told police that he punched Underhill, ripped off her shirt and dragged her, prosecutors said. When officers found Underhill’s body, the only clothing she was wearing was a pair of shorts and her feet were tied up, prosecutors said.

Weck is facing a pending charge of aggravated unlawful use of a 9 mm handgun in connection with the incident.

Parker pleaded guilty in 2020 to misdemeanor attempted obstructing justice by providing police the wrong phone number for George Hooper.

Trial testimony

Desirae Turner, Underhill’s daughter, testified her mother was “beautiful” and “full of life” and “full of love.” She said Underhill treated everyone equally.

“She’d do anything for anybody,” Turner said.

On July 22, 2018, Turner had a call with Hooper, who said her mother was cheating on him with his brother. She asked him if she had seen her mother.

“I started crying because I was scared for her,” Turner said.

She said Hooper promised he would not harm her mother.

Weck was granted immunity by prosecutors in exchange for her truthful testimony about the incident. Prosecutors also indicated Weck’s felony case could be amended to a misdemeanor.

However, Cornelius allowed prosecutors to treat Weck as a hostile witness after she answered nearly every question with “I don’t remember” or “I don’t recall.”

Weck provided those answers even when prosecutors confronted her with statements she made to police that were recorded on video in 2018.

During Weck’s testimony, she was asked about her video-recorded statements to police about firing a gun, pulling Underhill’s hair and seeing George Hooper hit and kick Underhill.

Weck repeatedly answered with, “That’s me on the video,” but then told the prosecutor she doesn’t remember making those statements.

Weck affirmed to Bretz that her answers were not meant to disrespect Cornelius or Underhill but she doesn’t remember the incident.