Murder charges have been announced against a man who allegedly strangled his mother to death and confessed to responding officers in Park City Saturday morning.
The Park City Police Department responded around 9:50 a.m. Saturday to the area of Eva Avenue and Koehmstedt Road for a report of a well-being check.
Officers were called to check the well-being of a man who was in the roadway causing a disturbance and yelling, according to Park City Police Chief Kenneth Stoves.
Stoves said officers located a man, later identified as Kenneth A. Rixie, 29, of Park City, who was visibly upset.
Rixie told officers, while speaking to them, that he had killed his mother, who lives in the 300 block of Betty Street, Stoves said.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the woman on Monday as Dorrie Gessler, 66, of Park City.
Officers entered the residence on Betty Street and found Gessler unresponsive.
Officers began performing CPR and called the Gurnee Fire Department to the scene, Stoves said.
Paramedics arrived and took over lifesaving measures.
Banek said Gessler was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
The coroner’s office was notified and responded to the hospital to take possession of Gessler for an autopsy.
Officers took Rixie into custody and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved first-degree murder charges.
An autopsy was performed on Monday morning and the results indicate Gessler died from strangulation, Banek said.
Rixie was transported to First Appearance Court and remanded to the Lake County Jail while he awaits a detention hearing.
The detention hearing was scheduled for Tuesday where prosecutors were expected to detail the circumstances in the case.