Connie and Larry Van Oosten Held Hostage for $350K in Erie Illinois

Constance “Connie” P. Van Oosten and her husband, Lawrence “Larry” D. Van Oosten, were lifelong residents of rural Erie in Whiteside County, Illinois. Both in their early 60s at the time of the incident, the couple had retired from successful small businesses: Connie had owned a flooring store serving the Quad Cities region, and Larry operated a pest‐control company. Deeply involved in their local church and community, they were known for their volunteer work, hospitality to neighbors, and devotion to family—especially doting on their grandchildren. Their peaceful daily routines and unwavering faith would soon be tested in the most harrowing way imaginable.

The Unsettling Acquaintance

Among the many people who crossed paths with Connie and Larry over the years was Chad Christopher Schipper, a younger man who had attended Sunday school classes at their church. While never a close family friend, Schipper was familiar enough—his visits for occasional fellowship had been amiable and unremarkable. In the months leading up to February 2017, however, Schipper’s life had veered into turmoil. Personal financial pressures mounted, relationships soured, and those who knew him noted growing erratic behavior. Though none anticipated the violence to come, this acquaintance would ultimately betray the couple’s trust in a deeply calculated crime.

The Night of the Kidnapping

In the pre-dawn hours of February 7, 2017, Connie and Larry were startled awake by the sound of glass shattering at approximately 3:30 AM. Through the darkness, they saw a masked man holding a handgun in the living room of their modest ranch-style home. Bound and forced to kneel, the pair felt an immediate surge of terror. Larry later described the intruder’s cold professionalism: he moved swiftly, cuffing their wrists behind their backs, blindfolding them, and delivering curt commands. Within minutes, the two were forced into the trunk of a vehicle—a dark-colored Chevrolet Caprice from the early 1990s—blind to their surroundings but acutely aware of the threat.

Construction of a Secret Dungeon

Behind the facade of a nondescript rental property in nearby Geneseo, Illinois, Schipper had spent weeks preparing a hidden cell. Beneath a removable plywood floor in a basement area, he had installed steel-reinforced walls and a heavy metal door operable only from the outside. Surveillance cameras and microphones were wired to discreetly placed monitors, allowing him to observe the captives without detection. The space contained minimal ventilation and only a single bare light bulb. During their captivity, Connie and Larry sat bound to chairs bolted to the concrete floor, the coldness of the metal auguring their helplessness.

The Ransom Demand

On the morning of February 8, after nearly 24 hours of confinement, Schipper informed his hostages of his financial ultimatum: he demanded a $350,000 cashier’s check. Uncertain if they would live to see another day, Connie was handcuffed to a wheelchair and forced—still blindfolded and disoriented—to drive Schipper’s Caprice to the nearest bank in Rock Falls, Illinois. Once inside the branch, she managed to compose herself just long enough to slip a handwritten note to the teller: “I am here under duress. Please call the police.” The teller, sensing the gravity of the situation, activated a silent alarm rather than confronting her captor, purchasing precious time.

Police Response and High-Speed Pursuit

Within minutes of the silent alarm, law-enforcement agencies—including the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Falls Police Department—coordinated a tactical response. Surveillance footage captured the escape vehicle leaving the bank’s parking lot, its license plate partially obscured but distinctive enough for deputies to begin pursuit. Back-up units intercepted the Chevrolet Caprice on Route 84, where a high-speed chase ensued, ultimately ending when the vehicle collided with a ditch and flipped onto its side. Schipper fled on foot into a nearby cornfield, leaving the wounded couple unharmed inside.

Discovery of the Hidden Cell and Rescue

With the victims safe, investigators executed a search warrant on Schipper’s known properties. In the Geneseo rental home, officers noticed an irregularity in the basement floorboards. Upon removal, they uncovered the steel-lined chamber where Connie and Larry had been held. The couple, weakened from lack of food, sleep, and exposure to cold concrete, were freed and given immediate medical attention. Both showed signs of bruising and hypothermia but no life-threatening injuries. Their emotional relief was profound; after nearly two days of terror, they embraced deputies, tears mingling with gratitude.

Schipper’s Arrest and Confession

Later that day, a coordinated manhunt led to the apprehension of Chad Schipper at a rural farmhouse outside Geneseo. In subsequent interviews, Schipper admitted to every detail: from the planning stages to the construction of the secret dungeon, the methodical binding of his victims, and the orchestration of the ransom demand. He described a self-professed “demon” inside him driven by desperation. Despite expressing remorse in hushed tones, he conveyed little empathy for the trauma inflicted on Connie and Larry.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Charged with aggravated kidnapping, home invasion with a dangerous weapon, and multiple related felonies, Schipper’s case moved swiftly through Whiteside County courts. Prosecutors highlighted the premeditation, the psychological torment endured, and the elevated risk posed to his victims due to their age. In November 2018, Schipper entered a guilty plea in exchange for a stipulated sentence. In April 2019, the judge imposed a 60-year prison term without the possibility of parole, emphasizing that the severity of the crimes and the vulnerability of the victims necessitated a substantial sentence. Under Illinois law, Schipper must serve at least 85 percent of his term before eligibility for review.

Physical and Emotional Aftermath

Though rescued relatively unharmed physically, Connie and Larry faced a protracted recovery from the psychological scars. They underwent extensive counseling to process symptoms of post-traumatic stress: nightmares, anxiety in confined spaces, and hypervigilance at night. Their tight-knit community rallied around them—neighbors delivered meals, church members organized prayer vigils, and mental-health professionals volunteered pro bono services. Over months of therapy, the couple gradually reclaimed a sense of safety and normalcy, learning coping strategies and drawing strength from each other’s unwavering support.

The Role of Faith and Forgiveness

Central to Connie and Larry’s healing was their Christian faith. In sermons and small-group discussions, they spoke candidly about the “dark valley” they traversed, crediting prayer and scriptural promises with sustaining them. Forgiveness—both of the captor and themselves for lingering bitterness—became a spiritual landmark in their journey. They later shared testimony at local churches, transparently discussing how forgiveness liberated them from ongoing resentment, and how extending grace served as a catalyst for deeper peace.

Advocacy and Community Education

In the years following their ordeal, Connie and Larry partnered with victim-advocacy organizations to raise awareness about home security and the realities of kidnapping. They assisted law-enforcement workshops, provided interviews for training videos on recognizing duress signals at banks, and supported legislation to enhance penalties for kidnappings involving financial coercion. Their firsthand experience lent a powerful voice to prevention efforts, encouraging communities to remain vigilant and to reinforce bonds of neighborly watchfulness.

Remembering February 7, 2017

Each February 7, Connie and Larry mark the anniversary of their abduction not with sorrow but with gratitude—for the swift actions of bank staff, the dedication of law-enforcement officers, and the resilience that saw them through. They host a modest gathering at their church where survivors of violent crime and first responders come together in fellowship. These annual events underscore the life-affirming power of community solidarity and the possibility of beauty arising from the bleakest circumstances.

A Legacy of Hope

Today, Connie and Larry maintain a quiet presence in their Erie neighborhood, greeting passersby with warm smiles and sharing their story when invited, always emphasizing a future not defined by fear but by hope. Their narrative stands as a testament to the indomitable human spirit: that even when stripped of freedom and confronted with one’s mortality, faith, forgiveness, and communal compassion can pave a path toward restoration and purpose.