Troy, Illinois, man sentenced to 30 years for killing mother

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (First Alert 4) - A Troy, Illinois, man who murdered his mother because he was angry she was dating will spend the next three decades in prison.

A jury in Madison County, Illinois, in February convicted 46-year-old Neil Howard of first-degree murder in the death of Norma Caraker, 60, of Troy. On Tuesday, Circuit Judge Amy Maher sentenced him to a 30-year term.

Madison County prosecutors had requested a sentence of 45 years in the state department of corrections. Howard will have to serve the sentence in its entirety, making him eligible for parole at the age of 76.

State’s attorney Tom Haine said if Howard ever leaves prison, he will be an elderly man.

“We continue to hold the family and loved ones of Norma in our prayers,” Haine said. “They have exhibited true grace and poise throughout these difficult proceedings. Our hope is that this resolution allows them to begin to heal.”

Troy Police responded to the home Howard shared with his mother around 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 13, 2023, and found Caraker dead with a cord around her neck.

At trial, prosecutors said Howard grew increasingly angry over his mother dating someone and killed her while he was drunk.