Richard Kwil Becomes 40th Guevara Exoneree

On April 13, our client Richard Kwil had his homicide conviction vacated. Mr. Kwil was framed by corrupt Chicago Police Det. Guevara and spent more than 24 years wrongfully imprisoned. He is the 40th victim of Det. Guevara’s corruption to have a homicide conviction vacated.

Mr. Kwil’s co-defendant, and our client, David Gecht was released last year. The Court vacated Mr. Gecht’s conviction in May 2022, finding that the evidence of Guevara’s pattern of misconduct entitled Gecht to relief. All charges were dropped and Gecht was certified innocent by the Illinois courts. Kwil, meanwhile, remained incarcerated in Pontiac Correctional Center for the January 1999 murder of Roberto Cruz. The only evidence against him was a false confession that was coerced from him by former Det. Guevara.

Guevara refuses to defend his police work, asserting his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination when asked about much of his investigative work as a CPD detective. He invoked this right when asked whether he framed Kwil & Gecht for the 1999 murder.

Mr. Kwil is represented by The Exoneration Project and the Law Office of Jennifer Blagg.

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