Murder Charges Dropped In Romeoville Woman's Death
JOLIET (STMW) -- Prosecutors have dropped murder charges against a southwest suburban man accused of bludgeoning his wife to death with a hammer based two pathologists' findings.
John Sadler, 67, of the 1619 Benzie Circle in Romeoville, was initially charged in July with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicidal death, according to the Will County State's Attorney's office.
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Sadler's 66-year-old wife, Caroline, died at the couple's home sometime between July 15 and 26, officials said. Police -- called to the home after friends and family hadn't heard from her -- found her body July 27 behind an interior front door after smelling an odor of decay.
The charges were amended because two pathologists told prosecutors they could not conclusively testify that a blow to the woman's head head with a hammer caused the heart attack that killed her, state's attorney's office spokesman Charles Pelkie said.
The original autopsy listed the immediate cause of death as stress from the blunt trauma and listed heart attack as an underlying cause, Pelkie said.
Sadler is now charged with aggravated battery to a senior citizen and aggravated domestic battery, both Class 2 felonies, Pelkie said. Prosecutors are still alleging that he struck his wife in the head with a hammer.
Sadler allegedly admitted to police that he had an argument with his wife 10 days prior to her body being found, and struck her in the head with a hammer, Romeoville Asst. Police Chief Steven Lucchesi said at the time of his arrest.
The argument happened at the front door and Sadler allegedly did not move his wife's body for those 10 days, according to police.
Sadler, a retired accountant with no prior arrests, was indicted on the new charges Wednesday and pleaded not gulty Thursday, Pelkie said. He faces three to seven years in prison if convicted.
His bond, previously set at $3 million, was reduced to $300,000 based on the new charges, Pelkie said. Prosecutors had asked that it be set no lower than $1 million.
Sadler will next appear in court Nov. 17 for a pre-trial hearing.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
