Ottawa killer loses bid for new trial

The Dayton man convicted in the Ottawa murder-cremation is going back to prison.

William B. Horman, 56, appeared Friday in La Salle County Circuit Court on a petition for post-conviction relief. He was sentenced to a combined 40 years in prison for killing his former boss, Robert Dowd, and then disposing of Dowd’s body in a rural Ottawa burn pile.

Horman persuaded an appeals court to give him a chance to argue for a new trial. But at his Friday hearing, Horman didn’t produce any live witnesses or evidence that he was wrongly convicted.

Horman instead spent the time complaining that he has no access to the prison law library and has had no luck getting a lawyer to take up his case.

“I put out many feelers for an attorney,” said Horman, who represented himself, “but I haven’t gotten a response yet.”

Lacking any new evidence, Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. promptly threw out Horman’s petition.

At this stage of the pleadings, Ryan said, the burden was on Horman to furnish proof of his pleadings, and he instead showed up empty-handed.

“I’ve got nothing,” Ryan said.

Horman, who immediately filed a notice of appeal, will resume serving his 40-year sentence.

Horman was convicted of bludgeoning Dowd in 2015 partly on the strength of an accomplice who cut a deal. Jonathan Beckman testified that he saw Horman kill Dowd and admitted to helping Horman cremate the body.

On appeal, Horman said he 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 was enough for the 3rd District Appellate Court to grant Horman partial relief. The appeals court did not overturn Horman’s conviction but only gave him a hearing to argue for new proceedings.

But Smith did not appear Friday, and there was no testimony corroborating Horman’s belief that he was wronged.