A Hinsdale man accused in the ambush slaying of a perceived romantic rival said Tuesday that he was confused about his Miranda rights on the night police arrested him, and he also denied that he confessed the crime to an old friend.
In DuPage County court, Jeffrey Keller, 53, testified about the night he was taken into custody for the slaying of Nate Fox, who was shot to death in his Bloomingdale garage Dec. 22, 2014. Keller’s testimony came during a hearing on a motion filed by defense attorneys, who want to bar statements Keller made to police from being introduced at trial.
Keller testified that he was coerced by police, who streamed into the parking garage below his Oak Brook business on the night of Jan. 14, 2015, to detain him as he prepared to leave in his car. Detectives testified that Keller then volunteered to travel with police to Bloomingdale where he was questioned about Fox’s slaying, but Keller disputed that.
When his attorney, Paul DeLuca, asked whether Keller felt like he could leave the parking garage, Keller replied, “Not without being shot.”
He said he asked several times to call his lawyer but was brushed off by police. The Bloomingdale detectives, though, said Keller invoked his right to speak to an attorney only after several hours.
First Assistant State’s Attorney Joe Ruggiero cross-examined Keller on his assertions that he had tried to invoke his rights many times throughout the interview but was steered away by the detectives.
“Did you count how many times you lied to police?” the prosecutor asked, a question that drew an objection from the defense team.
In his testimony, Keller denied telling an old college friend that he shot Fox, a former European professional basketball player. Authorities say that the friend forwarded the information to police, a tip that helped lead to Keller’s arrest.
Prosecutors intend to call rebuttal witnesses at the hearing, which was continued to Oct. 25. Judge George Bakalis told attorneys that his ruling on whether to suppress the police interview will hinge on whether he believes Keller voluntarily consented to it and whether Keller was adequately apprised of his Miranda rights.
Authorities say Keller was involved in an “emotional affair” with a woman, and that Keller shot Fox because he believed Fox, 37, and the woman were involved. Fox and the woman knew one another from a work situation, police said, but were not romantically linked.
On the night of the slaying, Keller waited for Fox to arrive at his Bloomingdale home, and then shot Fox as he exited his car, authorities say.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
