John Jefferson
Top inset: Nancy Vorrath (WMBD). Bottom inset: Michael Vorrath (Peoria County Jail). Background: The home where Nancy Vorrath was killed (WMBD).
An Illinois man will spend decades in prison for drowning his wife of more than 42 years in their basement utility sink and claiming to police that she took her own life.
Michael L. Vorrath, 68, must serve 100% of his 45 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Nancy Vorrath, 60, the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office announced in a Wednesday press release.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim’s children described her as the light in their lives and explained how their lives had been forever altered after her murder, prosecutors said in the news release.
“Not only did they lose their mother in the most horrific way possible, but they also lost a father with his refusal to admit what he did,” the press release said. “The murder of their mom has caused division between family members and tarnished the Vorrath name, and the children have suffered from depression, nightmares, and the burden of the prolonged wait for justice.”
In asking for a harsh prison sentence, Assistant State’s Attorney Dave Gast argued that this was a “hands-on crime” where the defendant “submerged Mrs. Vorrath in a sink, held her there, and watched her life leave her body.”
Nancy Vorrath was killed on Nov. 19, 2019, at their home in the 3300 block of West Lexington Court in Peoria. The defendant called the police, claiming his wife killed herself. His defense attorney said later he tried to save her, performing CPR for 15 minutes before calling 911. Around 1 p.m. that day, officers found her unresponsive with her head in a utility sink, authorities said.
An autopsy confirmed it wasn’t a suicide but a murder by drowning, prosecutors said. The victim had significant injuries consistent with someone holding her underwater, authorities said.
Michael Vorrath, who had retired from his job as an advertising representative from the Peoria Journal Star, was arrested the following month and indicted by a grand jury.
The case went to trial multiple times, the first two ending in mistrials, local CBS affiliate WMBD reported.
The third jury found him guilty of first-degree murder on Aug. 14.
Nancy Vorrath’s obituary said she married Michael L. Vorrath on July 16, 1977, and was a grandmother.
“She loved to swim, read, camp, hike and, mostly, spend time with her kids and grandkids,” the obituary said. “She was perfect for her career, working with developmentally and physically challenged individuals as the Direct Support Professional at EPIC in Peoria. Nancy was a friend of Bill’s. She was the sort of person that would help anyone; she was very kind and selfless. Nancy will be greatly missed by her community, work, church, friends and, mostly, by her family.”
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