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West Chicago cop killer dies in prison

The man convicted of killing a rookie West Chicago police officer during a botched car theft nearly 23 years ago has died in prison.

Ronald Alvine, 52, died Feb. 28 at the Pontiac Correctional Center in Pontiac, according to a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Corrections. Alvine died of natural causes, according to the Livingston County coroner's office.

At the time of his death, Alvine was a serving a life sentence for the April 20, 1992, murder of police officer Michael Browning.

Browning, 23, died of head injuries after being run down while trying to stop Alvine from fleeing in a Corvette he'd just stolen from a local dealership.

A jury convicted Alvine of murder in December 1993. Then a judge twice sentenced him to death.

But each time Alvine was given the death penalty, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the punishment because of legal errors and ordered new sentencing hearings. Alvine eventually was resentenced in August 2006 to life in prison.

Meanwhile, West Chicago officials took steps to ensure residents won't forget Browning. In February 2007, the city council named the on-off ramp at the southwest intersection of Routes 38 and 59 after the fallen police officer.

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