Woman charged with murder in Willowbrook death

A DuPage County judge set bond at $250,000 Friday for a 19-year-old Maywood woman accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death in Willowbrook.

Prosecutors said Melissa Anderson told investigators differing stories about how 29-year-old Mansour Miller suffered the stab wound to his neck that killed him Wednesday morning. Prosecutors said Anderson told investigators that she grabbed the knife during an argument with Miller after he began choking her.

However, Assistant DuPage State's Attorney Kirsten King said a third person in the Willowbrook home at the time of Miller's death told investigators that they had already taken a kitchen knife away from Anderson earlier that morning when the couple were fighting. Additionally, Anderson's call to 911 stated that Miller had been drinking, tripped in his bedroom and struck his head on something that caused the bleeding, King said.

When they couldn't locate a head wound, the witness told emergency workers about the knife, King said.

She also told Judge Brian Diamond that Anderson first told investigators Miller suffered the injury to his neck after she grabbed a steak knife from a table near Miller's bed and they began tussling. Anderson later changed her story to say that the wound happened as they wrestled on the bed, King said.

According to a coroner's report, Miller suffered six separate puncture wounds to one of his lungs and that the stab wound was wider than the blade of the knife. King said the wounds are indicative of the knife being repeatedly jabbed and manipulated by the person holding the weapon.

Anderson sobbed loudly during the morning hearing as King described the crime scene. Anderson was also appointed a public defender to act as her attorney. Her next court date is scheduled for Oct. 25.

DuPage State's Attorney Joe Birkett said Thursday that his office pursued second-degree murder because there were "mitigating factors" that reduced the offense from a first-degree murder charge. However, the charge Anderson is facing maintains that she had "unreasonable justification" for killing Miller.