Man ruled insane in 2004 slaying may be permanently institutionalized

A McHenry County man found not guilty by reason of insanity in the grisly 2004 slaying of a Woodstock woman was ordered Thursday into a locked down mental health facility, probably for the rest of his life.

Lawrence Hucksteadt will remain in the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services until either January 2099 or a court and state doctors believe he can go free without being a danger to himself or others.

Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Michael Combs, who prosecuted the 46-year-old Woodstock man on murder and aggravated arson charges, said Thursday he is confident that day will never come.

Hucksteadt's attorney did not disagree.

"Based upon the statutory considerations the court must take into account before granting any kind of conditional release, Mr. Hucksteadt will probably be hospitalized for an extremely long period of time," Senior Assistant McHenry County Public Defender Christopher Harmon said.

A judge on Dec. 10 declared Hucksteadt not guilty by reason of insanity for a July 16, 2004, attack that killed Ellen Polivka, a 69-year-old receptionist at a behavioral health clinic in Woodstock.

Authorities say Hucksteadt - just three days after he was refused admission to a hospital for treatment - walked into the facility, argued with Polivka and left, only to return a short time later with a paint can filled with gasoline in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

Police said Hucksteadt poured the gasoline on the Woodstock woman and set her on fire. She died about a month later.

Hucksteadt has spent most of the 51/2 years since in state mental institutions.

Judge Joseph Condon issued the insanity verdict after reviewing a video recording of the incident and numerous psychiatric and psychological reports indicating Hucksteadt suffered from both severe mental illness and withdrawal from benzodiazepine, a sedative used to treat panic disorder, anxiety disorder and other mental illnesses.

Doctors also have testified that Hucksteadt has a severe case of dementia that makes it unlikely he will ever function normally.