Dixon police revealed yesterday the motive behind a Chicago man who was found guilty this week of 1st degree murder of a local woman in September of 2009.
A Lee County jury deliberated for less than 2 hours before they announced the guilty verdict for 54-year old Byron Adams in the killing of 35-year old Margaret Atherton of Dixon.
During the trial, Adams stuck to his story that he and Atherton were romantically involved. He was a former newspaper carrier in the Dixon area.
Dixon Police Chief Dan Langloss said that after the trial, Adams told authorities that he needed gas money to return to Chicago when he killed Atherton. He said that she refused to give him the money after he pointed a handgun in her face. Adams then suffocated her with a pillow in an upstairs bedroom.
Chief Langloss said that Adams has a 20 year history of violence and rape against women. He said that at no time was their a relationship between Atherton and Adams.
A sentencing hearing date has been set for November 16th in Lee County court. Adams faces a prison term of 20 to 60 years.
