Dean Sentenced To 65 Years In Prison For 2019 Mt. Sterling Murder

By Benjamin Cox on February 17, 2022 at 1:23pm

A Mt. Sterling man found guilty in December of murdering his girlfriend in 2019 is heading to prison.

42 year old John M. Dean was sentenced to 65 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections today for the shooting death of 44 year old Rebecca Niewhoner.

Judge Charles H.W. Burch announced the sentence after hearing victim impact statements from Niewhoner’s mother Carolyn Woodward and Niewhoner’s ex-husband, Kraig Niewohner, with whom the victim had a daughter.

The trial lasted a little over 8 days, with a 12-person jury of seven men and five women finding Dean guilty on December 16th. Defense Attorney John Leonard filed a post trial motion for acquittal and asked for a new trial on January 14th, with Judge Burch ruling against the motions.

Dean was remanded to the custody of the Brown County Sheriff’s Department today and returned to the Schuyler County Jail pending transfer to an IDOC facility.