120 years for Hanover Park murder

A convicted murderer with a history of terrorizing girlfriends and children will most likely die in prison after a DuPage County judge sentenced him Thursday to 120 years.

Ronald O'Rourke, 47, was found guilty in September of brutally stabbing 51-year-old Pamela Howat in a June 6, 2009, home invasion in Hanover Park.

On Thursday, DuPage Judge Kathryn Creswell sentenced the Crystal Lake man to 120 years in prison. The ruling followed a parade of witnesses from O'Rourke's past, who told of the sadistic abuse they suffered at his hands — and the pleasure he seemed to take in it.

“He often thought a lot of the bad things he did were funny,” O'Rourke's ex-wife testified. “I thought he was going to kill me.”

Howat, who once dated O'Rourke, was stabbed as many as 10 times in the neck and head after she returned from grocery shopping to find an intruder in her home. Prosecutors said O'Rourke, a self-admitted drug addict, committed the grisly slaying when Howat caught him burglarizing her place for money to buy crack cocaine.

At sentencing, Assistant State's Attorney Ann Celine O'Hallaren sought a life sentence without parole, saying it was a “virtual guarantee” O'Rourke would otherwise re-offend.

“His actions are that of a sociopath incapable of change,” she said. “Unfortunately, the public should have been protected from this defendant a long time ago.”

Among those to take the stand and testify about O'Rourke's past was a McHenry County woman who was once married to him.

She described being punched in the face by O'Rourke on multiple occasions and, once, being held down and smothered with a pillow.

The woman's daughter, now 25, testified that O'Rourke force-fed raw onions and eggs with ketchup to her and her little sister when the three were alone.

He also beat them repeatedly, she said.

“He said if we ever told anybody, he would kill our mother,” she testified.

In a videotaped statement, an Oregon woman and former prostitute described waking from a night of drug use and sex with O'Rourke to find he had hogtied her — and was trying to cut out her tongue.

The woman said the attack in 2004 left her with permanent facial scars and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I can't sleep at night. I have nightmares, I have relationship problems,” she said, sobbing. “He needs to be put away for a long time.”

In a brief statement to the court, O'Rourke, who insists he is innocent in Howat's killing, pleaded for mercy and asked for a “second chance at life.”

He told Creswell he turned to drugs to ease pain and loneliness, but they only brought sorrow and destruction.

“I didn't want to think anymore,” he said. “I didn't want to feel the loneliness.”

But Creswell said she “couldn't imagine a more horrible or painful way to die” than how Howat died, and that a stiff sentence was necessary to protect the public.

Howat's family members and other victims later rejoiced in the hallway outside of court.

“We're happy with the sentence,” said Jill Gacic of Lombard, Howat's younger sister. “But it doesn't bring Pam back.”

Assistant Public Defender Mike Mara said O'Rourke plans to appeal the sentence. As it stands, he would not be eligible for parole until the year 2126.