Suspect In Riley Fox Murder Pleads Guilty

Scott Eby accepted a plea bargain today in the 2004 rape and murder of 3-year-old Riley Fox that spares him the death penalty but guarantees he spends the rest of his life in prison.

Eby's plea deal hopefully gives some closure to Riley Fox's parents. Her father, Kevin Fox, was originally charged with the murder and spent eight months in jail until Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow withdrew the charges after a federal appeals court said the evidence against Kevin Fox was weak and castigated Will County officials for focusing on Kevin Fox too quickly. Eby's sneakers, which had his last name written inside, were found near the creek where Riley Fox's body was found floating.

Kevin Fox and his now-estranged wife, Melissa, were awarded $15 million in a wrongful arrest lawsuit brought against Will County officials, which was later reduced to $8.2 million by a federal appeals court in April.