Ruben Corzine will spend the next 50 years in prison for killing his girlfriend last year.
In July, the 34-year-old Mt. Carmel man entered an open guilty plea to first degree murder for stabbing 41-year-old Jennifer Phelps at their residence at 909 Cherry Street on January 29th of 2020.
During a sentencing hearing this morning in Wabash County Circuit Court, Judge Kimbara Harrell granted a defense request to change Corzine’s plea from guilty to guilty but mentally ill. Public defender James Lane said the change would not affect the amount of time Corzine spends in prison, but would allow him to receive treatment for mental issues.
Evidence presented today indicated that Corzine sought treatment after saying he was hearing voices and suffering hallucinations. Corzine even sought help early the morning of the murder but checked himself out of the ER against the wishes of the physician according to Storckman.
Testifying at today’s hearing was Mt. Carmel Police Department telecommunicator Mary Sweppy who took Corzine’s 911 call the morning of the murder saying he had stabbed Phelps.
MCPD Sgt. Kyle Adams was the first officer on the scene and testified as to what he saw once Phelps was located in the northeast bedroom of the residence. Adams also said the investigation uncovered security video from Wagon Wheel, two blocks west of the murder scene, showing Corzine walking back and forth smoking a cigarette before he called 911 to report Phelps’ murder.
State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman speculated that after stabbing Phelps 37 times, Corzine then walked to Wagon Wheel to let his girlfriend die. She called it a “horribly, cruel, vicious attack”. Storckman asked Harrell to impose the maximum 60 year sentence saying Corzine is a “danger to the public”.
Witnesses called by the defense included probation officer Judy Lewis who answered questions from Lane about the pre-sentence investigation she prepared. Police chief Mike McWilliams also testified about a 2017 incident in which Corzine was arrested for shooting into the walls of a home. McWilliams also said Corzine told him he loved Phelps and regretted killing her during an interview after the murder.
Lane said he intended to call Corzine to testify during the sentencing hearing, but after a lunch break, said Corzine had changed his mind and would not testify or make a statement on his own behalf.
Several members of Phelps’ family filled the courtroom for today’s hearing including her sister Stephanie Umfleet who directed her comments to Corzine saying, “You took my baby sister..we’ll never get her back.”
Another sister, Deanna Woods, told Corzine, “You are a monster. You deserve to spend the rest of your life in prison”.
Harrell advised Corzine that under Illinois law, he will have to serve 100% of the 50 year sentence for first degree murder and then be on 3 years of parole after his release. He has 30 days to file an appeal in the case.
WSJD File Photo: Ruben Corzine is led back to the Wabash County Jail on July 15th after pleading guilty to killing his girlfriend in 2020.