People v. Stoudt

Defendant Gary Lee Stoudt was convicted of the murder of Helen Van Densen. The jury did not recommend the death penalty and he was sentenced to the Illinois State Penitentiary for not less than 25 nor more than 50 years.

The record discloses that defendant and the victim Helen Van Densen met at a tavern in Sterling, Illinois, on the evening of December 27, 1965. Defendant had apparently consumed enough liquor to make him drunk at the time. Defendant and the victim left the tavern together and drove off in defendant’s automobile. Defendant admitted that he drove the victim to her home in…