Continuance granted for Palatine man charged with killing Rochelle woman in 2022

OREGON – A Palatine man is scheduled to appear in Ogle County court again in January on charges that he fatally stabbed a Rochelle woman and set her apartment on fire in an attempt to conceal her death in September 2022.

Gary C. Freeman, 28, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder, one count of residential arson and one count of concealment of a homicide.

He is charged in connection with the death of Devin K. Gibbons, 28, of Rochelle.

Freeman, who is being held at the Ogle County Correctional Center on $10 million bond, appeared in Ogle County court Wednesday via a video conference from jail, represented by defense attorney Robert Kerr, who also appeared remotely.

Kerr asked for another continuance, noting that he planned to meet with Freeman on Dec. 19.

In previous court hearings, Kerr has said that he had received discovery documents provided by prosecutors but needed more time to review the state’s evidence, which included “over 2,500 pages.”

Ogle County Assistant State’s Attorney Allison Huntley did not object to Wednesday’s continuance.

Judge John Redington set Freeman’s next hearing for 1 p.m. Jan. 21.

Gibbons was found dead in her Rochelle apartment, 503 Seventh Ave., after Rochelle police and firefighters were dispatched to that address at 10:46 a.m. Sept. 18, 2022, for a smoke investigation, according to a joint news release from the Rochelle Police Department and Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock.

“Upon entry into the residence, fire personnel located a deceased female,” according to the release. “The fire was deemed suspicious, and additional investigators arrived on scene.”

Freeman became a suspect during the course of the investigation, according to the release.

Rock submitted the case Feb. 28 to an Ogle County grand jury, which indicted Freeman. An arrest warrant was issued Feb. 28, and he was apprehended in Palatine.

The first-degree murder charges, Class M felonies, allege that Freeman “knowingly stabbed” Gibbons “with the intent to kill her or do great bodily harm” and that the “murder was committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner, pursuant to a preconceived plan, scheme or design.”

The concealment of a homicidal death indictment, a Class 3 felony, alleged that Freeman knew Gibbons “had died by homicidal means” and “knowingly concealed” her death by leaving her body inside her apartment and then starting the fire. The residential arson charge is a Class 1 felony.

Rock said that many agencies worked on the investigation, including the Rochelle Police Department, Ogle County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, State Fire Marshal’s Office, the American Red Cross, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigators, the Ogle County Coroner’s Office, Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District, FBI Rockford and Chicago offices, Schaumburg Police Department, Palatine Police Department, Sterling Police Department and the Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center.