East Peoria man gets 70 years for stabbing death

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - A central Illinois man who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of another man will likely spend the rest life behind bars after a judge sentenced him to 70 years in prison.

The (Peoria) Journal Star reports that 29-year-old Thurman D. Ellis of East Peoria must serve the entire 70-year sentence imposed Friday by Chief Peoria Circuit Judge Paul Gulfillan.

On Sept. 7 of last year, Ellis and William K. Edwards began fighting after Edwards refused to hand over some marijuana that Ellis wanted. Authorities say Edwards grabbed a butter knife and stabbed Edwards 25 times. The judge imposed the sentence after prosecutors noted that Ellis admitted to investigators that he stabbed Edwards even after he'd stopped fighting and told Ellis to take the marijuana.