Rachel Elizabeth Warren, 34, was found dead at her Chesterfield home on February 8, 2018. A stay-at-home mom born June 17, 1983, in Litchfield, she was active in her community and a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Carlinville. Her family described her as someone who loved camping, fishing, cooking and the outdoors.

Investigators say Rachel was shot in the head after a ride home with companion Allen Wheeler and a former friend, David W. Buck Jr., who was 29 at the time. After the shooting Buck abducted Wheeler at gunpoint, forced him to drive to a rural area to dispose of the weapon, then stole Wheeler’s truck and led officers on a multi-county chase before being captured. Buck was charged with first-degree murder and several related offenses; his trial began January 23, 2023, and a jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts.

The conviction and subsequent sentencing were described as providing some measure of justice for Rachel’s family.