Michael Mattox
A man is set to spend 40 years in prison for driving his pickup truck into two women standing on the patio of a saloon the day after Christmas in 2020.
Michael Mattox, 61, was sentenced on Monday in Richland County, Illinois, records show. He pleaded guilty back in April because he killed DeAnn Richardson, 48, and Judy Jourdan, 69, but only to a single count of first-degree murder. Records before Mattox’s plea noted he faced a possible life sentence because of the multiple deaths.
To hear him tell it, Mattox said that he drank “two quarts of Jack Daniel’s” the night of Dec. 26, 2020 and was going to the Deuces Wild Saloon in Olney, Illinois, in order to die by suicide, according to WTHI. He had been having problems in his marriage, he said.
That got no sympathy from Jourdan’s daughter Amy Lydle.
“He took two innocent lives that had nothing to do with his divorce,” she said in court, according to the outlet. “I hope every day, for the rest of his life, he is miserable.”
“She was a very loving, caring person,” Richardson’s brother Mark Hazel reportedly said of her. He said Mattox will “get what he deserves” thanks to the law.
Mattox reportedly apologized in court and said he took “full responsibility.”
As part of his punishment, Mattox must serve his entire 40-year prison sentence and three years of mandatory supervised release.
From records about sentencing [sic]:
SA, PD, Defendant appear. Def in custody. Sentencing hearing. Presentence Report admitted along with Addendum regarding Defendant’s current medical issues and prescriptions; Evidence/arguments in aggravatiion/mitigation; Defendant makes statement in allocution; State/Defense make recommendations regarding sentence; victim impact statements submitted. Defendant sentenced to forty (40) years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and is advised that the law requires that he must serve 100% of the sentence. Def is given credit for time served in the Richland COunty Jail since his arrest, as certified by the Sheriff. Defendant must also serve three (3) years of Mandatory Supervised Release after completion of his DOC sentence. Appeal rights given.
Earlier on in the case, the defense got Mattox checked out by a doctor to evaluate his mental state during the incident. He ended up taking the guilty plea. From records about the plea:
SA, PD and Def appear. Def in custody. Def enters open plea of guilty to Count II, with possible sentence of 20 to 60 years in Dept of Corrections, plus 3 years, MSR. Def advised Truth In sentencing prohibits day for day or any other credits, and that ay DOC sentence must be served in full. Def advised of possible penalties and rights beng waived. Def acknowledges terms of open plea and rights being waived. Court accepts plea and Def is found guilty on Count II. Sentencing hearing is set 8/29/22 at 9:00 am., with Def specifically asking for this later date. Probation office to prepare pre-sentence report. Counts I and III are dismissed per plea agreement. Defendant’s bond is revoked and he is to be held by the Sheriff, without bond, until sentencing.
[Mugshot via Richland County Sheriff’s Office]
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