Was horrific childhood a factor in murder of Aurora Twp. WWII vet?
When he was 6, Hector M. Mauricio's 18-year-old half brother was killed - by Mauricio's own biological father.
Before this, the man beat Mauricio's mother and siblings.
And even after Mauricio's father went to prison, he and his siblings were told by their alcoholic mother, who had kids with three different men, never to talk about it.
Despite the chaos at home, Mauricio was described by his elementary school teachers as being a sensitive, intelligent student.
But then he was recruited by gangs and began abusing alcohol and drugs.
A psychological examination showed Mauricio endured almost every type of conceivable trauma except for sexual assault and abuse.
"Many people have difficult lives, but one in 1,000 have had a life that was that difficult," testified Dr. James Garbarino, a developmental psychology expert, during a sentencing hearing for Mauricio in Kane County Wednesday.
On May 29, 2007, at the age of 20, Mauricio broke into his neighbor's home in Aurora Township.
He killed 83-year-old Roscoe Ebey, a World II veteran, by stabbing him more than 70 times, and tried to set his body and house on fire before being caught at the scene by a neighbor, according to prosecutors.
Garbarino testified that Mauricio's untreated childhood trauma, toxic relationships at home, neglectful parents and suppressed rage were factors in the murder.
"He engaged in an action that is bizarre and strange, but for untreated, traumatized children, it's not surprising," Garbarino said.
Mauricio pleaded guilty to Ebey's murder and was initially sentenced to 60 years in prison in June 2011.
But an appellate court panel overturned the sentence, saying now-retired Judge Timothy Sheldon made improper comments during the sentencing about how he respected Ebey as a member of the "Greatest Generation."
Mauricio, now 28, was moved to the Kane County jail and his guilty plea still stands. He faces anywhere from 20 years to life behind bars.
During a hearing in front of Judge Susan Clancy Boles, Mauricio's family members testified about how he grew up in a shattered home and how Mauricio's biological father also abused their mother.
"It was a lot of drama due to alcohol. Looking back on it, nobody really (took care of Hector Mauricio)," testified Anthony Mauricio, 34, who is Hector Mauricio's half brother and has been in prison since he was 18 after he was convicted of attempted murder.
Mauricio told the judge he is maturing as a person and will not use drugs and alcohol as an excuse for his actions. He apologized for killing Ebey and causing Ebey's family pain.
"Every day I live, I am haunted by that," he said.
Boles will sentence Mauricio on Friday afternoon.
Ebey's murder was extremely emotional for Kane County sheriff's deputies who investigated it, and former Sheriff Pat Perez became good friends with Ebey's family and established the Roscoe Ebey Award, which is the officer's highest civilian honor and equivalent of Person of the Year.