Accused child killer changed story 21 times

NewsTribune (La Salle, IL)

In opening statements, Mack cites flip-flops, defense claims not enough evidence

By Shannon Crawley-Serpette

Putnam-Marshall Bureau Chief

HENNEPIN -- A jury of eight men and four women heard opening statements and listened to the testimony of one witness in the Matthew Archer murder trial Tuesday in the Putnam County Courthouse.

Putnam County State's Attorney Jim Mack said Jordan Cain's parents had substance abuse problems. As a result, she and her two older brothers were shuffled within the family before moving in with their aunt, Janice Schryer, and her fiancé, Matthew Archer. The couple also have a 4-year-old biological daughter.

"The home appeared great on the surface," Mack said.

Adding three more children into their home caused stress for the couple, he said.

"This last home would not be a good one for Jordan," Mack said.

The day of Oct. 24, 2003, began like any other day, Mack said.

"Jordan played on the back porch until dinner," he said.

During dinner, Archer wanted Cain to eat. But Jordan, who often didn't eat, only downed a few French fries, Mack said.

What exactly happened after dinner, when Schryer went to bed, remains in question. Archer later gave 21 versions to the police of how Cain suffered the injury that would cause her death the next morning, Mack said.

During some of the versions, Archer heard Cain's shallow breathing in another room as he went outside to smoke.

In other versions, Archer said he was rocking Cain and the next thing he remembered was waking up on top of Cain on the floor, guessing he might have fallen on her, Mack said.

At other times, Archer told the police he "did like a knee drop" on Cain, according to Mack.

An officer was called to the scene and Cain was rushed to St. Margaret's Hospital, Spring Valley. She then was flown to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

The girl's abdomen was becoming more distended during this time. She died at 7:35 a.m. Oct. 25 on the operating table during explorative surgery.

The doctors concluded the cause of death was abdominal hemorrhage due to non-accidental blunt force trauma, Mack said.

On her body were 41 bruises and four additional ones on her head, none of which were caused by medical treatment, according to Mack.

Mack told the jurors that the evidence in the case will show Archer told "numerous partial truths" and he admitted committing the act that killed Cain.

Archer's attorney, Kevin Sullivan of Peoria, told the jury he doesn't believe there is enough evidence for a finding of guilt.

This case involves the death of a young child, Sullivan said. "That may evoke emotion from one or more people, perhaps from you," he told the jury.

Schryer and Archer, who now are married, agreed to take in these children. "They (the children) had a difficult time and a difficult life," Sullivan said.

The Archers made sacrifices to provide care to the children. "Unfortunately on Oct. 24 a situation occurred which, you will see, was likely an accident," Sullivan said.

According to Sullivan, the Archers implemented discipline and order into the lives of the children. "He (Archer) had to assume the role of parent rather than friend," Sullivan said.

Cain had always had a poor appetite, was sluggish, withdrawn and had a poor color, he said. She was small for her age, weighing around 26 pounds.

She was also prone to bruising very easily, he said, adding that she and her siblings would roughhouse like many children do. "She was generally clumsy," he said.

Before Cain's death, Schryer had taken her to the doctor's office because she thought Cain might have a problem because she was bruising so easily, Sullivan said. The doctor could find no reason for the bruising, he said.

The night of Oct. 24, Archer was rocking Cain, trying to get her to go to sleep. He tried to put her on an ottoman, but since he had only slept two hours that day, he didn't put her correctly on the piece of furniture, Sullivan said. She fell to the floor. While attempting to pick her up, Archer's knees buckled and he fell on top of her, landing with his knees on her abdomen.

Archer felt his knees "go almost all the way through her," Sullivan said. The police arrived and began to take care of the situation.

Archer was questioned by state police in the afternoon of Oct. 25, having only slept two hours the day before, Sullivan said.

"He did say some things that were conflicting ... Obviously he was upset. Jordan Cain died on his watch," Sullivan said.

The lone witness to testify Tuesday was Jon Ossola of the Granville Police Department who was called to Archer's house in Granville the night Cain was injured. Ossola found Cain on the kitchen floor when he arrived with Archer kneeling next to her.

Archer seemed nervous and was looking at the exits a lot, Ossola testified. Noticing the bruises, he contacted DCFS after Cain was brought to the hospital because he suspected child abuse, Ossola said.

Shannon Crawley-Serpette may be reached at 339-2268 or ntputnam@ivnet.com.