People v. Pitsonbarger

The defendant, Jimmy Ray Pitsonbarger, was convicted following a bench trial in the circuit court of Peoria County of two counts of knowingly causing the deaths of Claude and Alta Brown and of four counts of felony murder based on the felonies of burglary and home invasion with respect to each victim. The State moved for a death penalty hearing, which was held before a jury. The jury concluded that the defendant was eligible for the death penalty, finding that he was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1(b)) and that aggravating factors…