Third carnival worker convicted in St. Charles murder

The last of three carnival workers charged in the stabbing death of a St. Charles man last fall was convicted Thursday and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Guy L. Manning, 51, of St. Charles, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in Kane County Circuit Court and was sentenced in a plea bargain accepted by Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon. A first-degree murder charge was dismissed.

Prosecutor Greg Sams said Manning beat 28-year-old Naromi Mannery with a lawn chair in a Sept. 21 altercation that ended with the victim being stabbed by Manning's brother and fellow carnival worker, Arthur Manning, 58.

"Guy Manning needed to be punished for his part in it," Sams said. "I think he will be punished appropriately."

The altercation took place at a bunk house for Windy City Amusements carnival workers on the 900 block of West Main Street in St. Charles. Police said Mannery, who did not work for the company, was intoxicated and had refused to leave when the fight erupted.

In February, a jury convicted Arthur Manning of first-degree murder. He faces up to 60 years in prison at sentencing April 22.

A third carnival worker initially charged with murder, Willie L. Wimberly, 56, was accused of throwing the punch that started the fight. He also was convicted in February and sentenced to eight years under a plea bargain nearly identical to Guy Manning's.

Guy Manning and Wimberly each must serve at least half of their eight-year sentences, with credit for time served since their arrests about five months ago.