Man Gets 55 Years For Brutal Murder Of Landlord
JOLIET, Ill. (STMW) - A Will County man who stabbed his former landlord more than 100 times and then robbed his home has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after being convicted of murder and home invasion.
Martin Gomez of rural St. Anne, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Richard Schoenstedt to 55 years for the May 9, 2007 death of Joseph Salamie, according to the Will County State's Attorney's office.
State's Atty. James Glasgow said the conviction and sentence "takes this dangerous killer off the streets."
Gomez, 26, was convicted in April of stabbing Salamie to death in unincorporated Peotone, and of home invasion and armed robbery for forcing his way into the victim's home and stealing about $1,000 in cash, a release from the state's attorney's office said.
Gomez stabbed the victim about 111 times during the attack and then used the money he stole to buy marijuana and pay personal bills, the release said. The victim initially was attacked inside his house on a horse farm. After being stabbed repeatedly, he attempted to flee the residence. His body was found in a ditch outside the house.
Gomez had rented a trailer on the victim's farm prior to the attack. Will County Sheriff's detectives found Gomez's DNA in the bathroom of the victim's house, the release said. Witnesses testified they saw Gomez covered in blood near his house in rural St. Anne shortly after the attack.
Investigators also found the victim's credit cards in the Gomez's car, and cell phone records showed he was in the area of the house at the time of the attack, the release said. His girlfriend also testified that he admitted killing Salamie.
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