Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for Naperville home invasion

After two armed intruders forced their way into his home, a Naperville man said he could think of only one way to make it out alive.

So he dove head first through the plate-glass window of his apartment to the ground about 10 feet below and ran for his very life.

"In my mind, it was a matter of life or death," said the 21-year-old former Naperville man, who asked not to be named. "I took my chances and jumped instead of having them kill me."

His emotional account of what happened early on Oct. 27, 2006, came today at one of the two armed intruder's sentencing hearings.

DuPage Circuit Judge Michael Burke sentenced Marzell Odom to 15 years in prison for felony home invasion. Odom, 25, formerly of Glen Ellyn, must serve half the term before his release.

The Naperville man said two armed men forced their way into his Douglas Avenue apartment after he answered the door. He knew Odom, a man he had met while the two worked at a downtown Naperville restaurant.

Odom brandished a pellet gun that resembled a semi-automatic handgun. The other masked man displayed a 22-inch machete. They rummaged through his apartment for more than an hour and demanded he call someone who sold marijuana so they could rob him.

The Naperville man said he tried to stall the men but, as they grew more angry, he decided in desperation to dive through the window. He was not seriously injured.

"When I hit the ground, I got up so fast not looking back, just running as fast as I could hoping not to get shot," he said.

He called 911 on his cellular phone and identified Odom, who confessed after his arrest that same day.

The crime caused a lockdown at Naper Elementary and Washington Junior High School while police searched for the men.

A co-defendant, Jared K. Washington, 21, has pleaded innocent. He is due in court Dec. 12.

Odom pleaded guilty April 15 to felony home invasion. He faced up to 60 years in prison because of his past. He was on parole when arrested for the Naperville crime after serving a six-year prison term for armed robbery in Waukegan.

Prosecutor Helen Kapas-Erdman urged a 20-year term to protect the public. Odom's attorney, Steve Dalton, a senior assistant public defender, sought an eight-year term.

He argued that Odom is not a violent person, but one who suffers from inner demons that through counseling and medication can be controlled.

Dalton said Odom, who is bipolar, suffered a horrific childhood. His dad died when he was young. His mother abandoned him. Another adult molested him.

His wife, Kimberly Jarrett, told the judge Odom is a good husband and father who loves his family. She said he relied on marijuana to ease his depression, but that he wasn't violent.

An apologetic Odom spoke today of his efforts to better himself this past 13 months in jail, his love for his family and his deep religious beliefs.

"I'm not a threat to society," he said. "I'm more of a threat to myself. I messed up. I did something stupid that I regret each and every day."