The details of this case are stomach churning but at least the case is now over. That case is the death of 50 year old Mona R. Ellison of Peoria at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, 45 year old Christopher J. Sanders. A jury in Peoria County took less than 40 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict of guilty of First Degree Murder. Sentencing for Sanders has been scheduled for August 17th, 2023 and Peoria County States Attorney Jodi Hoos is aiming to get a Life Sentence for Sanders based on the gruesome details of Mona R. Ellison’s death. If you are squeamish, you can stop reading here. The details below are not for the faint of heart but were given to the jury who found Sanders guilty.
From the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s office:
“During the trial, a forensic pathologist testified that Ellison was nearly covered from head to toe with injuries, receiving blunt-force injuries to her head, face, torso, chest, abdomen, back, and lower body. On her head alone, her nose was broken and crushed, a molar was knocked out, and her left cheek was cut through to her mouth. Sanders had attempted to stitch that wound back together. He left the needle and thread still in it.
In addition to Ellison’s head injuries, nearly all of her ribs were broken and had punctured her lungs. Internally she had a bruised liver and bowels and a laceration to her spleen. Ellison was alive through all of this and had a number of defensive wounds. All these injuries contributed to her death, but ultimately, she died at the hands of Sanders strangling her and applying so much pressure that he broke her hyoid bone.
His shocking conduct continued even after the murder. He wrapped her up in blankets and plastic, threw her in a trunk, and transported her across the river. He then dumped her bruised, bloodied, and broken body in a wooded area in East Peoria and covered her in leaves and brush.”
