Ottawa murderer awaits Dec. 15 hearing

William Horman still insists he didn’t kill Ottawa businessman Robert Dowd in 2015. Days before Christmas, he’ll get a chance to argue for a new trial.

Horman, 56, formerly of Dayton, appeared Friday in La Salle County Circuit Court on his latest bid to reverse his conviction and 40-year sentence. Although an appeals court did not overturn his murder conviction, justices granted him an opportunity to argue for new proceedings.

On Friday, Horman declined the services of the public defender and said he’d represent himself at a hearing, which is now set for Dec. 15.

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. also set a briefing schedule for Horman and the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office to spell out their cases in writing.

Horman was convicted of bludgeoning Dowd in 2015 and then cremating the body in a burn pile. Assisting him in disposing of the body was Jonathan Beckman, who agreed to testify against Horman at trial. Beckman pleaded guilty to concealment of a homicidal death and long ago completed his sentence.

Since then, Horman has produced an affidavit from a prisoner, Cody L. Smith, who said Beckman lied and then gloated about the deal he procured at Horman’s expense.

That wasn’t enough for the 3rd District Appellate Court to simply throw out Horman’s conviction. The justices ruled, however, that Horman should at least have an opportunity to ask his trial judge to overturn his conviction.

Prosecutors argued at trial that Horman flew into a rage when Dowd, owner of a truck-washing business, did not give him a promised ownership stake in the business.