Norma Caraker.Photo:Norma Caraker/FacebookAn Illinois man is accused of strangling his mother, the widow of a former mayor, to death, prosecutors said in apress release.Troy, Ill. police found an unresponsive Norma Caraker, 60, inside a home early Wednesday morning, the Office of the Madison County State’s Attorney said. Also inside the home was her son Neil Howard, 44, the release said.Prosecutors alleged that Howard strangled his mother to death and was arrested without incident and later charged with first-degree murder.“I commend the Troy Police Department and the assisting agencies for their tireless, thorough work,” State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine said in a statement. “Thanks to the efforts of our local police agencies — and the efforts of community leaders past and present — we have safe neighborhoods in Madison County.”The state’s attorney’s office said Howard is being held on $3 million bond at the Madison County Jail. It was not immediately clear if he has retained an attorney.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.KSDKreported that Caraker was the widow of former Troy Mayor Charles “Tom” Caraker, who died in 2018. Tom Caraker was mayor for nearly two decades, serving from 1997 to 2013.TheBelleville News-Democratreported that Caraker had been working as a waitress at two local restaurants, donating her tips to charitable causes and that she would post her schedules on Facebook so people would know when to come in and visit her.The paper also reported Howard was one of her children from a previous marriage.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Norma Caraker.Photo:Norma Caraker/Facebook
Norma Caraker/Facebook
An Illinois man is accused of strangling his mother, the widow of a former mayor, to death, prosecutors said in apress release.Troy, Ill. police found an unresponsive Norma Caraker, 60, inside a home early Wednesday morning, the Office of the Madison County State’s Attorney said. Also inside the home was her son Neil Howard, 44, the release said.Prosecutors alleged that Howard strangled his mother to death and was arrested without incident and later charged with first-degree murder.“I commend the Troy Police Department and the assisting agencies for their tireless, thorough work,” State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine said in a statement. “Thanks to the efforts of our local police agencies — and the efforts of community leaders past and present — we have safe neighborhoods in Madison County.”The state’s attorney’s office said Howard is being held on $3 million bond at the Madison County Jail. It was not immediately clear if he has retained an attorney.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.KSDKreported that Caraker was the widow of former Troy Mayor Charles “Tom” Caraker, who died in 2018. Tom Caraker was mayor for nearly two decades, serving from 1997 to 2013.TheBelleville News-Democratreported that Caraker had been working as a waitress at two local restaurants, donating her tips to charitable causes and that she would post her schedules on Facebook so people would know when to come in and visit her.The paper also reported Howard was one of her children from a previous marriage.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
An Illinois man is accused of strangling his mother, the widow of a former mayor, to death, prosecutors said in apress release.
Troy, Ill. police found an unresponsive Norma Caraker, 60, inside a home early Wednesday morning, the Office of the Madison County State’s Attorney said. Also inside the home was her son Neil Howard, 44, the release said.
Prosecutors alleged that Howard strangled his mother to death and was arrested without incident and later charged with first-degree murder.
“I commend the Troy Police Department and the assisting agencies for their tireless, thorough work,” State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine said in a statement. “Thanks to the efforts of our local police agencies — and the efforts of community leaders past and present — we have safe neighborhoods in Madison County.”
The state’s attorney’s office said Howard is being held on $3 million bond at the Madison County Jail. It was not immediately clear if he has retained an attorney.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
KSDKreported that Caraker was the widow of former Troy Mayor Charles “Tom” Caraker, who died in 2018. Tom Caraker was mayor for nearly two decades, serving from 1997 to 2013.
TheBelleville News-Democratreported that Caraker had been working as a waitress at two local restaurants, donating her tips to charitable causes and that she would post her schedules on Facebook so people would know when to come in and visit her.
The paper also reported Howard was one of her children from a previous marriage.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
