A Kane County jury has found an Elgin man guilty of kidnapping and violently beating and stabbing a woman.
Darnell L. Rhodes, 34, of the 1200 block of Fleetwood Drive, was one of three men accused of using a knife to force the victim to come with them between March 13-14, 2023, according to a Kane County state’s attorney’s office news release.
They drove her to one of their homes, bound her with electrical cords, and stabbed and beat her, according to prosecutors. As a result of the attack, the woman had three stab wounds to her left leg, one to her right leg, fractures to her left rib and right pinky finger, bruises, trauma to her left forearm, and blunt force injuries to her head and face, leaving both eyes swollen shut, the release said.
Prosecutors said in the release that the attack was unprovoked.
Rhodes, being held in the Kane County jail, was found guilty of aggravated kidnapping inflicting great bodily harm, a class X felony. He faces between six and 30 in prison when sentenced; his next scheduled court date is Sept. 25.
Fellow defendant Roger A. Heaps pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of armed violence, a class X felony, and was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.
The third man in the case, Lloyd D. Hayes Jr., is still awaiting trial. His next scheduled court date on 11 charges, including attempted murder, armed violence and aggravated kidnapping, is Sept. 12.
“This case involved one of the ugliest unprovoked attacks I have seen in 25 years as a prosecutor,” Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Stajdohar said in a statement.
“All three of these men deserve to be in prison because of their heinous actions, and our communities are safer with them off the streets. The victim, who is still recovering from the lasting impact of her injuries, has demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience each day as she works to rebuild her life. I hope that she and her family can find some measure of relief in this verdict.”