An Illinois man will serve decades in prison for drowning his wife of over 42 years in their basement utility sink and alleging to authorities that she committed suicide.
Michael L. Vorrath, 68, must serve the entire 45-year sentence for the murder of his wife, Nancy Vorrath, 60, according to a press statement issued by the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office on Wednesday.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim’s children described mom as the light of their life and how her murder had permanently affected their lives, according to the news release.
“Not only did they lose their mother in the most horrific way possible, but they also lost a father with his refusal to admit what he did,” according to a release. “The murder of their mom has caused division between family members and tarnished the Vorrath name, and the children have suffered from depression, nightmares, and the burden of the prolonged wait for justice.”
Assistant State’s Attorney Dave Gast advocated for a hefty jail sentence, citing a “hands-on crime” in which the defendant “submerged Mrs. Vorrath in a sink, held her there, and watched her life leave her body.”
Nancy Vorrath was slain on November 19, 2019, at her house in Peoria’s 3300 block of West Lexington Court. The defendant phoned the police, stating his wife committed suicide. His defense attorney stated that he attempted to save her by administering CPR for 15 minutes before phoning 911. Around 1 p.m. that day, cops discovered her motionless with her head in a utility sink, according to authorities.
According to prosecutors, an examination revealed that the death was a murder by drowning rather than a suicide. According to officials, the man suffered major injuries as a result of being held underwater. Michael Vorrath, who had retired from his position as an advertising agent for the Peoria Journal Star, was arrested the following month and indicted by the grand jury.
According to local CBS affiliate WMBD, the case was tried multiple times, with the first two ending in mistrials.
On August 14, the third jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. Nancy Vorrath’s obituary stated that she married Michael L. Vorrath on July 16, 1977 and was a grandma.
“She loved to swim, read, camp, hike and, mostly, spend time with her kids and grandkids,” according to the funeral director. “She was ideal for her job as a Direct Support Professional at EPIC in Peoria, where she worked with people with developmental and physical disabilities. Nancy was a friend of Bill. She was the type of girl who would help everyone; she was compassionate and altruistic. Nancy will be deeply missed by her community, job, church, friends, and, most importantly, her family.”
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