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Officer tells why mother shot her kids, husband
By Christy Gutowski Daily Herald Legal Affairs Writer
Posted on February 21, 2003
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The girls survived. But John Lisowski, 46, died after he was shot five times in the family's Aurora home. More details of what led up to the shooting rampage were disclosed Thursday during a coroner's inquest into John Lisowski's death.
Sungnam Kwon Lisowski admitted shooting her husband and two daughters, Vickie, 14, and 12-year-old Christine, Aurora police Detective Michael Nilles told jurors. The mother, he said, also provided a motive.
"She said her husband was having an affair with a woman from China," Nilles testified. "She stated to me she did not want the … whore raising her daughters."
Prosecutors allege that in a premeditated rampage Lisowski shot her husband in their Stonebridge neighborhood home off Eola Road. The gunfire awoke the two girls, who were sleeping in Christine's upstairs bedroom.
Nilles said the girls told him their mother appeared in the doorway, reloaded the gun and fired at Vickie. Christine ran into another room, her mother trailing behind, and called 911. The girl was shot while she was talking to a police dispatcher.
Though wounded, Christine ran back to her sister's side. Their mother is accused of then opening fire at them. In the end, Vickie suffered four gunshot wounds. Christine was shot three times. Nilles said the mother then fled into another bedroom, where she shot herself twice.
"Vickie and Christine locked their mom out of the bedroom and waved to police in the front yard from their upstairs bedroom," Nilles told the inquest jury.
Lisowski, 41, is being held without bond in DuPage County jail on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder. Her attorney, Jack Donahue, said he'll file a motion March 5 asking the court to determine if she is mentally fit to stand trial.
Police Thursday also detailed a timeline leading up to the shootings. John Lisowski, whose work at Lucent Technologies required him to take long trips out of the country, including to China, sent his wife an e-mail in early September telling her of his affair and that he wanted a divorce.
Lisowski, who owns a small Naperville gift shop, applied for a firearm owner's identification card Nov. 1. She bought a handgun Dec. 17 at a Downers Grove sporting good store. Lisowski received the weapon Dec. 20 after a waiting period.
The coroner's jury ruled John Lisowski's death a homicide. The couple's daughters are being raised out of state with members of their father's family.
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