JOLIET, Ill. — A Joliet woman found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a Channahon man in 2009 has been sentenced to 61 years in prison.
Mary Vetor, 26, also was found guilty at the conclusion of a jury trial in June of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and home invasion. Circuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak sentenced Vetor on Monday. The defendant faced a minimum of 56 years in prison.
Vetor, according to Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, supplied the weapons – a gun and a baseball bat – that were used during the home invasion inside the Channahon apartment of Joshua Terdic on July 7, 2009. Terdic was shot in the head and died 10 days later. A female victim, Lauren Vasilakis, also was shot but survived.
In addition to supplying the weapons, Vetor helped hatch the plan to steal money and drugs from Terdic. She also drove the two men who carried out the attack to Terdic's home.
"Mary Vetor is as responsible for the murder of Joshua Terdic as if she had placed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger herself," Glasgow said. "Not only did she provide the deadly weapon used to commit this murder, she was completely involved in planning and carrying out this brutal attack."
Two other defendants, Jason S. Orasco, 27, of Channahon, and Matthew Edwards, 19, of Joliet, also face charges of murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and home invasion in connection with the incident. They are awaiting trial.
A fourth defendant, Ashley Hill, 19, of Joliet, pleaded guilty to home invasion and was sentenced to 11 years in prison in exchange for her truthful testimony against Vetor.
Assistant State's Attorneys Michael Fitzgerald, who heads the office's Felony Division, along with Christine Vukmir and Daniel Walsh prosecuted the case against Vetor and secured the sentence. The Will County Major Crimes Task Force investigated the murder.
With regard to pending cases against Orasco and Edwards, the Will County State's Attorney's Office reminds the public that charges are not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Morris Herald-News