In a peaceful little city on Lake Michigan, equidistant from larger, dangerous neighbors, Milwaukee and Chicago, the somnolent citizens of Zion were shocked to discover that two young girls had been brutally beaten, stabbed and left to die in the soft shadows of Shiloh Park. In Zion, where streets are named after prophets and annual celebrations like “Jubilee Days,” “Nostalgia Days,” and the “Festival of Lights” entertain residents and visitors, nothing like the murders of Laura Hobbs and Krystal Tobias had ever occurred in the city’s history.
Zion was founded at the turn of the last century by John Alexander Dowie, who purchased 6,500 acres of lakefront property to build a community dedicated to religious values, private education, and “divine healing.” Dowie’s motto was, “Where God rules, man prospers.” Dr. Dowie was a faith healer and rented a church during the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 to accommodate eager visitors. A few years later, his “utopia” was soon populated by people from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
Sometime in the past two years, Sheila Hollabaugh and her family, including her grade-schooler, Laura, moved to Zion from Wichita County, Texas, leaving her repeat violent offender husband, Jerry Hobbs, in a Texas prison. It is unclear why she chose Zion, a thousand miles north, to relocate; but it is fact that she allowed Hobbs to join her when he was released from prison recently. Within a month, Hobbs would stain the streets of Zion with the blood of innocents.
It is less of a mystery to me that Hobbs, a hardened criminal prone to lunatic fits of violence and malice would harbor seething resentment over his wife and children’s idyllic life in Zion. What is mystifying is why Sheila would reconcile with Hobbs after he threatened her and their neighbors with a chainsaw in 2001. For most reasonable people, that incident would have been a terrifying wake-up call to sever the relationship permanently. Sheila’s consent to harbor this maniac in her home and her apparent ignorance of her daughter’s whereabouts from early Sunday morning until long after sunset leads us to believe that hers was a pattern of neglect and catastrophic choices.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Steve
Couldn't say it any better myself, Loretta. It appears DYStopia reigns.
2 - NPDickerson
Ok. Now we have a CONVICTED father in this case? And the mother is negligent because she allows her child to enjoy community freedom? How well does this writer know the family? How much does she know about the particular incident which got Mr. Hobbs sent to prison.
While the writing is admirable, the conclusions this writer draws are not founded on enough factual information to be conclusive.
Do no other children ride their bikes from can to can't without supervision. Honestly, I can remember leaving out early and only coming home for a meal because we were out playing. That did not make my parents negligent.
Husbands can get angry and they can be rowdy--so can wives for that matter. But that does not prove ABUSIVE as a label for those that get loud.
Try getting a little closer to the facts and the real history of people if you want to write about them. We are close. We are neighbors.
3 - loretta
No, the mother isn't negligent because she allowed Laura to ride around - even though the child was gone from early morning and never came home.
Meanwhile, Mom reconciles with convicted violent offender. That's pretty stupid. Never mind the chain saw incident!
Obviously, you are not informed on the story? I suggest you read the plethora of news stories on the case before you comment.
4 - Kevin
So I'm from Zion, and, quite frankly, it is not anywhere near this "idyllic," "utopian" place you describe. In fact, it is a poor community, one of the poorest in the state, though on its way up through community betterment projects. It has a problem with gangs in its junior highs and high schools, and sexual predators are quite plentyful here. We try very hard to keep our problems from overtaking us, but we haven't earned a poor reputation from nearby communities for nothing. But it still is the perfect place for a new beginning, which is why the father came. I find it more tragic that, though he obviously came here for a new beginning, he eventually destroyed his family with this monstrous act than the fact that this happened in some "sleepy little Midwest utopian town," which you try to make this town. It is not perfect, but we try to keep ourselves together. Sadly, this will just tell people that we're failing.
5 - Kevin
Also, your comment that "nothing like the murders...had ever occurred in the city’s history" is false. In fact, when I was in grade school, I remember a horrible tragedy in which a father gunned down his entire family, and his oldest son was sent running, bleading profusely, looking for help. I still have images of seeing his blood splattered on his neighbor's door while I rode my bike to school in my head.
I find it horribly offensive how condeming you are of women in this situation. Yes, I agree that this woman should have gotten out of a obviously horrible relationship with a man with obviouse problems, but it is not the women you cite who killed these children. We're in an age that trys to reconcile an age of innocence with an age of horrible perversions; it doesn't work.
If you condemn the women, you should condemn society along with them.
6 - loretta
I think there is a real problem with a woman who lets a man back into his life who has a rap sheet a mile long, who has shown seriously violent tendencies since 1997 (coincidentally, since Laura was born), and who has failed miserably as a provider, husband and father.
It's one thing to let yourself be a hostage to an abusive man. It's another matter to let your children be victimized or left vulnerable to witness or even suffer abuse.
That takes a special breed of woman.
Unfortunately, this is a terrible price to pay for stupidity.
7 - Optimystic
Loretta, you write beautifully, and I wish the issues surrounding this situation were as simple as you have portrayed them to be.
This serves to remind us that news reports, especially early on in an event such as this one, can rarely be depended upon as 100% factual. There are never enough facts early on to satisfy us, and it is human nature to fill in the blanks - reporters do it, as do the people in the community who are being interviewed.
It just so happens that this story has all the elements that add up to "great TV." It is made even more appealing by the stark contrast of the unique story of this city's origin against such an horrific crime being committed against two innocents. The media can't resist portraying Zion as the sleepy, idyllic town where nothing happens, even though, as others have accurately attested, the reality is quite different. While Zion has something to offer, it is mostly a place of great, but unrealized potential. I would never use the word "peaceful" to describe this town.
8 - loretta
Sometimes the issues really are that simple, Opti. I think it is pretty simple to decide that a man is a dangerous liability and should be abandoned.
The facts that we do know - that Hobbs was a career criminal with an escalating series of violence, and that he and his partner had 3 children together over the course of a very tumultuous relationship is a simple matter to me.
That Zion is not peaceful is belied by their crime statistics, which are much lower than its neighbors, Milwaukee and Chicago. I attempted, however, to portray the irony; perhaps that wasn't very clear.
9 - vero
OK, the mother knew that Hobbs was a violent lunatic. If she didn't know before, the chainsaw incident should have been a heck of a wake-up call. So, why take him back? Anyone can make a mistake once, but this guy is an ongoing disaster. Mama does bear some responsibility for allowing this evil back into her childrens' lives.
If he had been my SO, I would have never let him know wher I had moved to. If he managed to find out on his own, It wouldn't have been impossible to get a restraining order and/or a shotgun. No way would the chainsaw-wielding madman have got near my kids!
What was she thinking?
10 - Dawn
I agree with Loretta, the mother was a special breed of stupid to let someone with such brooding anger around children. He didn't just kill his child, he killed someone else's as well.
I am sure Krystal's mother is thrilled with the choices of Laura's.
11 - rakel
Zion resident here.
Zion isn't perfect and we do have problems, but I seriously, SERIOUSLY doubt we are one of the "poorest" cities in this state. Kevin-- have you even been to southern Illinois? Lake County one of the top 5 richest counties in the country. Zion is one of the poorest cities in Lake County, yes, but Lake County is rich. Also, I'd have to say Waukegan or North Chicago is worse.
Things like this can and will happen everywhere. People will always look back and say "how could this have been prevented?" but it's not really going to help. People will still make dumb decisions and act out of violence.
PS: It didn't happen in Shiloh Park, it was Beluah.
12 - Dorian
You say that your notion of Zion as an idyllic haven is supported by crime statistics, but I grew up in Zion and it's not a great place (okay, it's getting better). For some reason I'm offended at your easy dismissal of its problems. You say that you're trying to "portray the irony"; well, it's not that ironic or unexpected if you've been around the place for a while.
Just to fill you in: 13% of the population is below the poverty line; it's very working class with a median household income of about $45,000; demographics - 57% caucasian, 26% african-american, 15% hispanic, the rest a random smattering; there is a strong gang presence - mostly GD (Gangster Disciples) and Vice Lords; there is a crack house under 24 hour police surveillance across the back alley from me; nearly 25% of my high school class dropped out or was kicked out; the school was on academic probation for most of the last decade; there are a number of housing projects in various regions of the city and a sizable welfare population.
Just a few summers ago there was a string of incidents: first, there was a robbery/murder at a gas station about a block from my house; second, two 16 year-old kids from Zion shot and killed two 16 year-old kids from North Chicago in a gang dispute, then put their bodies in the trunk of a car and abondoned it; third, there was a shooting where someone got shot in the chest, the police were called, and the police crashed into and killed an innocent driver while chasing the shooter (the shooting victim survived).
There are also 99 registered sex offenders in the town of about 20,000 (including one across the street from me). For comparison, in my girlfriend's slightly larger town, there are 3. I get what you were trying to do with your blog, but Zion just isn't that place. Sorry.
13 - Nancy
Have to agree w/Vero, Loretta, & Dawn: while HE was the convicted criminal, HER stupidity in resuming relations w/a violent maniac who had threatened her w/a chainsaw was just as criminal. Unfortunately, far too many women are stupid in this way, for reasons that to me seem to have nothing to do with self-esteem, & a great deal to do with careless brainlessness.
14 - Jusritefolkzgd
I stay in murderville thats 22nd anhebron the black disciples an gangster disciples are strong onhebron an thegalilee buildings on 22ndstreet
15 - Nutzo
That was horrible what that guy did, no one is arguing with that, but zion and the surrounding area has probably had about 12 murders since then, with a lot of gang shootings that didn't happen to kill a person. I'm not so sure about the sleepy and wholesome town that is portrayed out of convenience. Whatever though.
16 - Mike
list of gangs in zion GANGSTER DISCIPLES, INSANE GANGSTER DISCIPLE, BLACK DISCIPLES, RENEGADE DISCIPLES, VICE LORDS, MANIAC LATIN DISCIPLES, SATANS DISCIPLE, LATIN KINGS, HEBRONBOYZ, JOPPABOYZ
17 - Z-TOWN CRAZY
renegade disciples nation |/. mike.i, cezar, kg, sleepy, demon, shysta, jon. black disciples lll. earl, bubba, keenan, pj, marsay, bj, bb,vedell. gangster disciple |/. rell, trell, ray ray, rico, dontrell, big kuntry, marlon, jon g, jr, pookanu, rob, deshawn, yogi, adam, weezy, wayne, darnell, t-money, henderson, nuka, james, avion, dacoven, mike mike, lamot, aaron, chris, brandon, daywan, jamal, white cloud,.
18 - HAHA RDK
FUKKA RENEGADE DEM NIGGAZ IZ HOES DEY AINT BOUT SHII FAKE ASS PUSSY NIGGAZ YALL NIGAZ INT SHIT BUH RETRD DISICPLES SUKK A DIK I WISH SLEEPY N CEZAR DIED WEN DEY GOT POPED OUT SYDE THEY HOME FUKKIN PUSSYZ AND WHEN DEMON GOT POPED FUKIN LAMEZ RENEGADE DISCIPLE KILLA HOE
19 - z~city folks town
GDs, airis,armone,debo, kyler,camron,devin, joseph,kuntry,detrick, rob,bigpat,bone,turtle, semode,marquis, bianca,brittany,willie. CVLs,free lord xzavier, mike, stankyman, atl,billy,q.peet, UVLs, terrel,jary,vtay, layfette, fuck all stones and kings? IGDN1/RDN AND CVL LOVE ZION HAS LOVE FOR ZION BLACK POWER FUCK EVERYBODY ELSE!
20 - Tru folks
THE RENDGADE DISCIPLES HAD THE UNKNOWN VICE LORDS SHAKIN CUZ DEMON, KG, AND CEZAR HOPPED OUT THAT ORANGE TRUCK WIT DEM SHOTGUNS AT THA CARNIVAL IN ZION, THE UVL BITCHES WAS GRIPPIN 2 DA GDs BUT DA GDs WAS@ WAR WIT THA ROCK ASS BLACK STONES AND THEY TOOK OVER THA MOES HOOD. FOLKS ALL DAY 7.4.14 OUTLAW BLACK ZION POWER.
21 - Black Kenosha
why is the latinos trying so hard 2 b black? They have latin rap,they dress like us, talks slang like us, try to walk like us, get braids, say nigga. Aint no way around it latinos are second to blacks they grip to us like whites the latinos considers themselves brown! yall just white people with wavey hair who speaks spanish. Open your eyes, you latinos are GRIPPING!! HARD!! To blacks and deny it everyday. BLACK PRIDE WORLD WIDE. NBPP, BLA, BGD, BGF, BLM.
22 - Z.i.o.n.
NoGo killa. WauKKtown killa. Yall hate on zToWN cuz thats wurr tha real hardcore,smalltown, grimey hood HeBRoN, GalIlee, shootin G's an cVL's at yall know since ray ray folks locked up we bussin@ yall hard nogo is a noshow wen ZiON roll thru an wauktown..... Yall wut happen dem murderville G's kkame an aired dat b!tkh out all da time. Everybody know 22nd an Hebron is wurr real niggas is born how u think it was named murderville cuz that Latin King got stabbed an robbed by tha them 5 GDs an that Cvl an they put him n da dumpster by that werehouse in tha heart of tha Mville aint no kings buckin n zion tha RDs GDs BDs CVLs IGDs LOCs AN CRIPs run tha z an we gon continue 2 violate yall until yall learn 2 respect us as country azz northside black f.o.l.k.s an ride 4 black people cuz nogo an wauktown be grippin on da Lame Kings cus tha gualagualas strait givin yall tha bizzness.[Edited]
23 - Silas Kain
This is the future of America.
24 - Domonique
Forget Lake county yall wanna be Chicago folks kiss my ass.
25 - Domonique
STOP GRIPPIN CHICAGO U ARE FROM LAKE COUNTY GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!