86 years prison for 2nd man in 2017 McHenry-area murder, home invasion
A Wonder Lake man was sentenced Friday to 86 years in prison for his role in a May 2017 home invasion, murder and burglary at a McHenry-area house.
A jury last month convicted Byron Howard, 37, of first-degree murder, home invasion, armed robbery, armed habitual criminal and burglary for the attack in which Donald Jouravleff, a 52-year-old Air Force veteran, was shot and killed in his house in unincorporated McHenry County and his wife was terrorized and robbed at gunpoint.
Adam C. Morris, 52, of McCollum Lake, was convicted after a trial in March and sentenced to 71 years in prison.
Judge Sharon Prather sentenced both men and presided over both trials.
According to authorities and trial testimony, Morris, Howard and two other men went to the Jouravleff's house in the early morning hours of May 27, 2017.
Prosecutors said Morris, who was an employee of a moving company owned by Jouravleff's wife, Heather Mills, decided to rob the couple after meeting with Mills the previous day and seeing $3,000 in the couple's basement.
Jouravleff was shot twice after he answered the door, according to prosecutors. Mills was in an upstairs bedroom and tried to call 911, but an armed, masked man - who prosecutors said was Howard - went to the room and disconnected her phone. Howard held a gun to Mills' head, brought her downstairs and Morris took her to the basement and demanded the money, prosecutors said.
Two other men charged with murder in the case - Charles A. Campo, 33, of McHenry, and Jared J. Fox, 27, of Wonder Lake - testified against Morris.
In exchange for their cooperation, Campo and Fox are expected to each receive a sentence of less than 10 years in prison when they are sentenced June 6 after pleading guilty to aggravated battery with a firearm.