ALTON, Ill. — A man was found guilty Thursday of the 2018 murder of a woman in Alton, Illinois.
Ernie Sykes, 56, will be sentenced to at least 45 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Angel Syddall, his ex-girlfriend.
Police were called to a home on Edwards Street in the early morning hours of Nov. 21, 2018. When they arrived, they found a 26-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He told police Syddall was inside the house suffering from gunshot wounds as well.
When officers found her, she was suffering from seven gunshot wounds. She was rushed to the hospital but died from her injuries.
During the trial, family members of both the victim and the shooter testified. Syddall's mother told the jury Sykes told her that she would need to get a black dress. Sykes' own daughter then testified, telling jurors what he did to victim, the press release said.
“I am grateful to the jurors in this case for their hard work and for helping us bring this murderer to justice," State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons said in the press release.
He was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. The minimum sentence for first-degree murder is 45 years in prison. He could face up to life in prison.
