Defendant Sentenced for Murdering 92-year-old Local Surgeon

April 25, 2024, Peoria, IL- Today, Robert Ely, 57, was sentenced to 99 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after being convicted in February of First Degree Murder, Residential Burglary, and Theft for killing 92-year-old Dr. William Marshall, a well-known local surgeon. Dr. Marshall was found stabbed to death in his home on the morning of January 6, 2021, by a home healthcare worker. Several valuable paintings, estimated to be worth over $200,000, were also missing.

During the sentencing hearing, Dr. Marshall's children shared the effects of this loss not just on their family but also on the community. Dr. Marshall had a career spanning decades, including a 34-year private practice in Peoria, treating many patients in the area and mentoring future medical professionals. Not only was he a gifted doctor and loving father, husband, and grandfather, but he was also a Navy Veteran and man who extended kindness to all who knew and encountered him. Through tears and a broken voice, one of Dr. Marshall's sons said, "The murder of their father has caused terror, grief, and heartache." They asked the judge to help ease the sentence of their hearts and not to give Ely one day less than 100 years. Assistant State's Attorney Deb Shelby called Ely a predator who preys upon the elderly and has a criminal history dating back to 1984 with convictions for felony theft and burglary, resulting in multiple stays in prison. Per statute, Ely will have to serve 100% of this sentence.

Chief Judge Katherine Gorman sentenced Ely to 15 years on the theft charge to be served at the same time as the murder sentence.

###