Innocent IWU alumnus formerly convicted of first-degree murder shares his story

NORMAL, Ill. – Twenty-two-year-old Illinois State University student Jennifer Lockmiller was found dead in her apartment in August of 1993. Alan Beaman was in his hometown of Rockford, IL. on the day of her murder.

On Tuesday, Beaman came to Illinois State University to speak about his wrongful conviction of first-degree murder and how spending 13 years in prison changed his life.

Beaman was getting ready to begin his senior year at Illinois Wesleyan University when he was suddenly pulled over and told that detectives from Normal wanted to speak to him about a recent homicide. Beaman was interrogated at the Rockford Police Department and left unaware of the state of his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Lockmiller.

The investigation continued for nine months until Beaman was convicted of first-degree murder in 1995 and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

The event held at Illinois State University by the School of Communications and Department of Politics and Government was meant for Beaman to get the opportunity to share his experiences, thoughts and emotions regarding his wrongful conviction.

Beaman was accompanied by his attorney Jeffrey Urdangen in the Braden Auditorium at Illinois State University to discuss the incident. Former WGLT correspondent Edith Brady-Lunny moderated the discussion. 

Beaman said he remembers finishing an exam and going to the dining hall for dinner where he was approached by police. He was asked to step outside and was then taken to the Normal Police Department where he was arrested. He was named the prime suspect by process of elimination, but his attorney at the time convinced him he could win the case because there was no evidence to prove him guilty.

“I’ve never had a more surreal moment in my life than hearing that guilty verdict… No one had expected that from the evidence that was being presented,” Beamen said. “I was in shock. The only instinct I had was to look at my family in the gallery behind me and try to reassure them… I remember them dragging me out of the courtroom while I was trying to make eye contact with my mother, father, and grandparents.”


Beaman was taken to Menard Correctional Center which houses maximum-security adult males. He said that the environment of the facility was very foreign to him, and he did not know how he was going to survive.


Beaman was physically threatened, beaten and victimized during his time in prison. He was asked how he stayed optimistic during this time.

“I have to let my guard down and be a good person whether it’s safe for me to do so or not… I’m going to do things the right way,” Beamen said. “I kept reminding myself that God has a plan and a purpose for my life.”


The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the prosecutor violated Beaman’s right to due process of law by failing to disclose information implicating another potential suspect in the murder. Beaman said that this moment was the most joyous of his life. He served more than 13 years in prison. The Normal Town Council authorized a $5.4 million settlement agreement with Beaman.


Beaman graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. He has been working as an engineer and trainer for over 13 years. He has trained police cadets enrolled in the Wrongful Conviction Awareness and Avoidance program for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Police Training Institute. He is a husband, father, youth bowling coach and church youth leader. He shares his story in hopes that this will never happen to anyone else.