3 years, 9 months ago by Scott Hardy
David Sampley was found Not Guilty by reason of Insanity in 2018 death of Sharon Welch
A Pittsfield man, found Not Guilty of a 2018 murder of a Pittsfield woman by reason of Insanity, will spend the rest of his life confined to a state mental institution.
David Sampley was in Pike County Illinois Circuit Court Thursday for a hearing on having him committed to the Illinois Department of Human Services. Records show that Judge Frank McCartney ruled that the earliest Sampley's commitment would end is April, 2116. Sampley had faced a bench trial in June on two counts of 1st Degree Murder, a Class X count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault and counts of Aggravated Domestic Battery by strangulation and Domestic Battery. At the trial, Judge McCartney made the insanity ruling on four of the five counts. A second murder count was dropped by prosecutors. Sampley's defense entered an earlier report done by a Springfield psychiatrist that resulted in Sampley being found not fit for trial. They also submitted testimony about Sampley's mental status. He was charged with the murder counts in late July 2018.
A probable cause statement said that Sharon Welch was strangled with a sock down her throat, and had her chest stomped in early June 2018.
