Kane County Circuit Judge Donald C. Hudson on Friday ruled that Edward L. Tenney, 38, of Aurora is eligible for the death penalty for the Oct. 1, 1993, fatal shooting of Jill Oberweis, the 56-year-old widow of a prominent dairy executive.
Though Hudson denied the prosecution’s contention that Oberweis’ murder was premeditated, he ruled Tenney eligible for the death penalty on grounds that the murder took place “during the commission of a burglary and home invasion . . . inflicting injuries substantially and contemporaneously acting in concert (with Don Lippert) . . . with the intent to kill.”
A jury last month found Tenney guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of felony murder after a two-week trial that included testimony from co-defendant Don Lippert, Tenney’s cousin.
Lippert described how the two broke into Oberweis’ Aurora home on Felton Road to burglarize it and then intentionally killed the woman.A sentencing date has not been set.
