Will County man exonerated in the death of his daughter in ’04 is killed in Arkansas car crash

The father of a young Will County girl who was slain in 2004 is dead following a head-on car crash in Arkansas, years after being accused and cleared in the case.

Kevin Fox was charged with killing his 3-year-old daughter, Riley, in 2004 and cleared by DNA evidence in 2005.

Fox’s former attorney, Kathleen Zellner, posted on Twitter about the crash, calling Fox “one of our best, most courageous & kindest clients.”

“Our sympathy goes out to his family and everyone who loved him. RIP,” Zellner’s tweet read.

Fox, 46, was driving northbound on Arkansas State Highway 7 in Yell County when he crashed head-on with another driver heading southbound, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper.

The driver of the other vehicle, 47-year-old Michael Glasscock, was also killed in the crash.

In 2004, Riley Fox’s body was found in a creek outside Wilmington, about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, after she was taken from her home. A former neighbor of the family is serving life in prison after pleading guilty to the crime, but Kevin Fox was originally charged before DNA evidence cleared him.

Kevin Fox later sued Will County officials for wrongful arrest and was awarded $15.5 million.