‘This is your last chance’ judge tells Peoria man accused of killing Princeville woman
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The sentencing hearing for a Peoria man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend was delayed by two weeks so he could give probation officers more information.
Before a packed second-floor courtroom, Chief Peoria County Judge Katherine Gorman said her heart ached for all involved with the case when she allowed the delay until Nov. 20.
But if Walter Artis, 28, thinks he'll get another chance to push things back, the judge gave him a stern reminder of who was in charge.
"This is your last chance," she said.
It wasn't the news that about 150 people, most friends and family of Alexis Boland wanted to hear. Many of them taking the afternoon off work and wearing purple tee-shirts that said "#loveforLexi." In fact, a few even groaned and made noise at the idea which Gorman stopped that immediately.
Her courtroom, considered the biggest one in the building, had every spot filled. Two full rows were there for Artis. The other 10 or so were for Boland's side. Still others were standing. Members of the media were moved to the jury box to make way for more people.
In September, Artis changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on charges of first-degree murder in connection with the April 14, 2023, death of 22-year-old Alexis Boland. The move came just as he was to go to trial.
But almost immediately, he regretted that and his attorney, Chandra Justice of Peoria, filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea. Normally, that's heard after sentencing, but Justice filed it before as that's what her client wanted.
As such, Artis did not work with Peoria County probation officers to give his side of things. That's called a pre-sentence investigation and looks at all aspects of a person's life, so a judge can get a complete picture of who a person is before a significant sentence is imposed.
His family also didn't contribute support letters and offer the judge their view of Artis. Those two things combined, it looked like the judge felt she had no choice but to delay things, so the record on appeal would be clean.
Prosecutor David Gast vehemently opposed the delay, telling the judge that if she allowed this one, then others would follow. Artis faces up to 75 years behind bars. Probation is not an option, and he must serve 100% of any sentence imposed.
What happened
Deputies with the Peoria County Sheriff's Office were called to the Brighton Woods apartments in Dunlap at approximately 9:19 a.m. April 14, 2023, where they found Boland who had been shot.
At the hearing in September, prosecutors said Artis forced his way into Boland's Dunlap apartment, pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots at Boland, striking her in the head and torso.
Artis then fled in his vehicle, only to be caught later that day near a gas station in Morton. A cabbie at the Circle K gas station told police that she had been dispatched to take him to the Bloomington airport, but he didn't have cash.
So she took him to the gas station to try to get some money. Police officers and others including federal agents and state police descended on the gas station as police knew of his location due to "pinging his phone."
Artis left his backpack in the cab and took off running but was quickly caught. A gun was found in his possession, according to the Peoria County Sheriff's Office, which also said Boland and Artis had children together.
