Illinois Jury Awards Murder Victim’s Family $1M

GALESBURG, Ill. – A jury has awarded more than $1 million to the family of a female student beaten to death in 1998 at Knox College.

According to testimony at the trial, Andrea Racibozynski, a freshman at the time of the murder, was beaten with a brick so severely by her classmate, Clyde Best, that during the attack, the weapon broke in half. Best, now 26, entered a guilty plea in 1999. He was sentenced to 60 years for his crime.

Racibozynski’s parents successfully sued Knox College, claiming the school failed to provide a safe environment for their daughter by not providing adequate lighting in the dormitory stairwell where she was murdered. According to the family’s attorney, the jury award of more than $1 million is the largest civil award in county history.

Knox College officials may appeal the ruling, saying improved lighting and security would not have prevented the murder.

If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century

This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!

Get Our Newsletters
Campus Safety Conference promo