Dakota Wall was living in Illinois when she would set up the murder of her sister Sidnee Stephens
According to court documents Dakota Wall was tired of dealing with her sister Sidnee Stephens so she would plan her murder with four of her friends: Robbie Mueller, James Glazier, Chad Bennett, and Carl Dane
The four men would kidnap Sidnee Stephens from her home and would bring her to a remote location where she would be fatally shot
Dakota Wall remained free for over two years until police tied her to Sidnee Stephens murder
Dakota Wall would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to twenty six years in prison and is eligible for parole in 2023
Dakota Wall Photos
Dakota Wall FAQ
Where Is Dakota Wall Now
Dakota Wall was released on parole
When Did Carl Dane Die
Carl Dane committed suicide in 2011
Dakota Wall Case
Twisted Sisters is investigating the death of high school teenager Sidnee Stephens who was kidnapped from her home in Pinckneyville, Illinois, before being shot dead by a creek.
Her killers were four local thugs called Robbie Mueller, James Glazier, Chad Bennett, and Carl Dane, who had invaded her home and stuffed the teenager in a car trunk.
But one of the most disturbing aspects of this case is that the killers were aided by Sidnee’s half-sister Dakota Wall.
The four men were Wall’s friends, and she purposefully left the door open to their home, so her four friends could kidnap her younger sister.
On July 19, 2010, 15-year-old Sidnee Stephens was reported missing from her home. Six days later, fishermen spotted her remains floating in the Beaumont Creek. An inspection of the corpse revealed she had been choked and shot with a handgun.
The police subsequently learned that Robbie Mueller, James Glazier, Chad Bennett, and Carl Dane entered the house and attacked Sidnee, and they choked the teenager until she lost consciousness on two occasions.
They then took her to a remote area by the Beaumont Creek, where Dane shot her at least two times. Mueller and Glazier then pushed her remains into the water.
Wall kept her silence about her horrific role in her sister’s murder for 27 months before the police fully ascertained all the details.
Wall tried to defend herself by saying she had just left the door open for her friends to scare her sister and had never expected them to kill Sidnee. However, the police didn’t buy her story, and she was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, home invasion, and burglary.
The twisted sister eventually pleaded guilty to home invasion, and the other charges were dropped. In 2018, she was sentenced to 26 years in prison, but she should eligible to attend a parole hearing in 2023.
Dane was sentenced to 60 years in prison for murder, but he committed suicide inside his cell while waiting to be transferred to federal prison. Glazier was also sentenced to 60 years and remains in prison.
Meanwhile, Mueller was given 37 years for his role in the murder.
The case against Bennett was initially dropped due to lack of evidence, but in the fall of 2018, he was charged again and received a 20-year prison sentence.
Dakota Wall Sentencing
Dakota Wall was sentenced Wednesday in Perry County court to 26 years in prison for her role in the death of her 15-year-old half sister, Sidnee Stephens.
Wall, who was credited with 884 days for time served, pleaded guilty April 8 to a Class X felony charge of home invasion. The charge carries a mandatory prison sentence of 6 to 30 years.
Stephens was reported missing July 19, 2010, and her body was found six days later in Beaucoup Creek.
Wall purposely left the door open to her home July 19 so friends could scare Stephens while she slept, defense attorney James Stern said.
According to testimony, Robbie Mueller, James Glazier and Carl Dane entered the house, choked Stephens until she lost consciousness twice, and took her to Beaucoup Creek where Dane said he shot her two to four times with a handgun after removing her from the trunk.
Mueller said he and Glazier pushed Stephens’ body into the creek.
Glazier is serving a 60-year sentence and Mueller was sentenced to 37 years in prison. Dane committed suicide in his jail cell before being transferred to state prison.
Charges against another individual, Chad Bennett, were dropped for lack of evidence.
Wall was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, home invasion and burglary. The other charges were dismissed after she pleaded guilty to the home invasion charge.
Stanton argued for a maximum sentence of 30 years, based on Wall’s 27-months silence about the murder and what he considered to be her obligation to protect her younger sister. Stanton also said the maximum sentence was necessary to deter others from committing similar offenses.
“There’s a community that wants to know what happens to you when you engage in this kind of activity,” Stanton said.
Stern defended Wall’s silence, saying she was afraid to come forward.
“Dakota was intimidated,” Stern said. “She knew what these guys did to her sister. It’s a lot to ask a teenage girl to point fingers at three men, knowing what they did to her sister. She was terrified. She’s still terrified.”
Stern asked for the minimum sentence of six years, stating Wall’s involvement in the crime was limited to leaving the door open.
In handing down his sentence, Judge James Campanella said he didn’t consider Wall’s silence or her obligation as an older sister, but did question Wall’s lack of emotion.
“Dakota, today is the first day I have ever seen any degree of emotion coming from you whatsoever,” Campanella said. “Lack of emotion can serve as an advantage to some. In your case, I wonder if it’s the only way you can sleep at night.”
Wall had been temporarily released from jail more than a year ago to give birth to a baby girl.
“It’s hard for me not to consider that child will have to be raised by your mother and other family members,” Campanella said. “But how much of a mother-and-child bond do I have to consider, with the magnitude of your role in your sister’s death?”
Perry County Sheriff Keith Kellerman, who said he wasn’t surprised by the ruling, indicated the Stephens murder case isn’t closed quite yet.
“It’s one more step to the closure of this case,” Kellerman said. “We’ve still got more work to do.”
Stephens’ mother declined to make a statement at the sentencing hearing. Stanton said she explained to him, “I lost one daughter. I don’t want to be responsible for losing a second daughter, as well.”
Dakota Wall Links
Sister of murdered Pinckneyville teen sentenced to 26 years
When Evil Teens Realize They’ve Been Caught – Video
Dakota Wall Now
Parent Institution: LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Offender Status: PAROLE
Location: INTERSTATE COMPACT
Admission Date: 05/29/2014
Parole Date: 05/27/2022
Projected Discharge Date: 05/28/2025