Christopher Vaughn, 37, was sentenced on Tuesday to four consecutive life terms for killing his wife Kimberly, 34, and children Abigayle, 12, Cassandra, 11 and eight-year-old Blake.
Each child was shot once in the chest and head while buckled into the back seat. They were killed moments after watching their mother be shot in the face.
Vaughn murdered his family by the roadside in June 2007 as they drove to an Illinois water park. He had harbored fantasies of starting a new life alone in the Canadian wilderness and viewed his family as the obstacle standing in his way.
The victims' family spoke outside court in Joliet of their relief that the trial was over but were devastated that Vaughn had shown no remorse for taking his family's lives.
Kimberly's mother Susan Phillips said now that the family had seen justice they 'can begin to really get with the process of grieving'.
Her husband Del Phillips said: 'We had no indication from this individual that he could be so evil or do such acts but we did find out the hard way.'
Mr Phillips added: 'I don't think he felt what we feel when he held our (grand)children', according to the Chicago Tribune.
Alongside the couple sat their daughter Jennifer Ledbetter who is Kimberly's twin sister. She was so overcome with emotion at the press conference that she could not speak.
At Vaughn's sentencing, Mrs Ledbetter broke down when she told of the 'indescribable pain' of losing her sister, to whom she bears a striking resemblance, and her nieces and nephew.
Outside the court, the prosecution team said that the murders were a 'diabolical atrocity' committed by a 'heartless, soulless psychopath'.
The judge sentenced Vaughn to four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole after he was found guilty on September 20. A jury took less than an hour to convict the computer specialist.
He was eligible for the death penalty when the case began but Illinois has since abolished capital punishment.
Vaughn did not make a statement in court on Tuesday but turned to watch his family as they left the room.
On June 14, 2007, Vaughn ordered his family into their SUV at 5am before pulling off the road and placing a 9mm pistol under his wife's chin and firing a shot.
Outside the court, the prosecution team said that the murders were a 'diabolical atrocity' committed by a 'heartless, soulless psychopath'.
The judge sentenced Vaughn to four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole after he was found guilty on September 20. A jury took less than an hour to convict the computer specialist.
He was eligible for the death penalty when the case began but Illinois has since abolished capital punishment.
Vaughn did not make a statement in court on Tuesday but turned to watch his family as they left the room.
On June 14, 2007, Vaughn ordered his family into their SUV at 5am before pulling off the road and placing a 9mm pistol under his wife's chin and firing a shot
He then turned to each of his three children buckled in the back seat and fired, once in the chest and once in the head for each of them.
Abigayle was found holding a stuffed animal and a copy of Harry Potter while Blake's wounds indicated he had raised his arm to shield himself.
According to Christopher Vaughn's account, the family had been headed on a trip and he had stopped to secure luggage on the roof of the vehicle. He told police that his wife started shooting shortly after that and he fled the scene to survive.
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he married father was arrested at a funeral home hours before a memorial service for his wife and children.
Prosecutors said Vaughn had dreamed of starting a new life in the Canadian wilderness and viewed his family as what was holding him back. He posted wistful Internet messages about building a cabin and settling in the Yukon woods, cut off from the world.
'He was held back by four major obstacles,' prosecutor Chris Regis said. 'Those four obstacles were eliminated on June 14, 2007.'
The court was read emails Vaughn wrote to a friend before the murders saying he longed for a life unencumbered by cellphones and other hallmarks of modernity.
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