Stephen B. Small and the Trials of Edward J. Daniels and Nancy Rish: 1987-1989

Stephen B. Small was a Kankakee businessman known as the Kankakee Media heir. He was the grandson of Illinois Governor Len Small and Nancy Pederson Small. Governor Len Small was a Republican governor for two terms from 1921 to 1929.

In September 1987, Stephen B. Small was kidnapped and held for 1 million dollars in ransom money. On September 4, 1987, the body of Stephen B. Small was found buried alive in rural Kankakee in a homemade wooden box by local police. The Kankakee County Coroner determined his cause of death to be asphyxiation due to suffocation. The kidnappers, Daniel J. Edwards and Nancy Rish were found on 756 Stratford Drive in Bourbonnais, IL. Police were able to connect hair samples from the two to the case, leading to their arrest Edwards was charged with 10 counts of aggravated kidnapping and 3 counts of first-degree murder.

1987

Daniel J. Edwards’ trial

2-11-1988 Edwards was seen by a psychiatrist

4-11-1988 His attorney wants the death penalty eliminated

5-10-1988 The jury selection took place

5-16-1988 to 5-18-1988 The trial took place. Edwards was found guilty.

Nancy Rish’s trial

10-1-1988 Rish was charged with Indictment with first-degree murder charges and aggravated of Stephen B. Small.

11-2-1988 Rish’s trial began. There was no direct evidence found linking her to the murder, but eyewitnesses were reporting that she had been seen with Edwards purchasing for the murder in the store. The jury found her guilty on both counts and sentenced her to life in prison.

1990

Ms. Rish was granted a new trial on Edward’s testimony. The judge allowed the recorded confession of Edwards to be used in the trial.

2022

2-10-2022

Nancy Rish walked out of prison and was held on parole. A Kankakee County judge cut Ms. Rish’s life sentence to 70 years.