Man who strangled mother facing extended prison term

URBANA, Ill. (AP) - A sentencing date is set for a Champaign, Illinois man who pleaded guilty to murdering his mother in their home in December.

Richard Stover faces a 60- to 100-year prison sentence for murdering 60-year-old Betty J. Stover when he is sentenced on June 27 by Champaign County Circuit Judge Heidi Ladd. He would have to serve the entire sentence because his mother was more than 60 when she was killed.

Assistant State's Attorney Matt Banach said the 41-year-old Stover killed his mother the same day he allegedly robbed a Walgreens drug store. Banach said the robber was seen fleeing in an older model automobile it was later determined belonged to a friend of Betty Stover. Police found the woman dead on the floor of her home.

Banach said Stover used the money from the robbery to buy cocaine, which he took home to use. There he got into a dispute with his mother and he ended up choking her to death.

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Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com