October 21, 2010

 

Joliet man gets 40 years for murdering wife while she slept

 

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today (October 21, 2010) that a Joliet man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for stabbing his wife to death while she was sleeping with her infant child at her side five years ago.

 

Kareem Cobbins, 36, of the 4300 block of Glenlo, stabbed Tonya Cobbins to death in her bed on Oct. 24, 2005 after confessing to her that he had been unfaithful. Cobbins then told a family member he had killed his wife and waited for police to arrive.

 

The couple’s 5-year-old son also witnessed the brutal murder and gave a harrowingly detailed statement to interviewers at the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.   

 

Cobbins was convicted at the conclusion of a bench trial presided over earlier this year by Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak, who also sentenced Cobbins. The defendant’s attorney argued unsuccessfully before Judge Rozak that his client was insane at the time he murdered his wife.

 

Assistant State’s Attorneys James Long and Chris Regis prosecuted Cobbins.

Contact: Charles B. Pelkie  (815) 727-8789 (815) 530-7110 (cellular) cpelkie@willcountyillinois.com	News releases also available on FACEBOOK at: facebook.com/willcountysao on TWITTER at: twitter.com/willcountysao
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