Sterling man pleads guilty, sentenced to 40 years for fatal 2024 CGH parking lot stabbing

MORRISON — A Sterling man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally stabbing a man found severely injured last August in a hospital parking lot.

Robert A. Ager, 40, pleaded guilty Wednesday, May 7, in Whiteside County Circuit Court in connection with the Aug. 11 death of Roy S. Chavez, 41, according to court records.

Chavez was found in his vehicle, badly injured, at 12:03 a.m. that morning after the vehicle crashed in the CGH Medical Center parking lot at 100 E. LeFevre Road, Sterling.

According to court records, the investigation indicates Chavez was the driver of the vehicle and was stabbed numerous times as he was driving. Chavez was given aid and medical treatment but later died from his injuries at CGH Medical Center, police said.

Officers had found Ager in the area of CGH Medical Center. Ager was arrested and booked into the Whiteside County Jail about 6 a.m. Aug. 11. He was formally charged Aug. 12 with two counts of murder/intent to kill or injure and one count of murder/strong probability of killing or injuring in connection with Chavez’s death and was denied pretrial release due to the threat posed to the community and his past criminal history.

As part of that history, according to Whiteside County court records, Ager pleaded guilty in January 2003 to burglary and was sentenced to three years in state prison. He pleaded guilty to burglary and theft charges in February 2006 and was sentenced to four years in prison.

He was sentenced in June 2007 to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to a robbery charge, was sentenced to 30 days in jail in April 2014 after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated battery causing bodily harm, and was sent to prison for two years after pleading guilty in November 2017 to committing a hate crime, according to court records.

Ager’s case accusing him of murder was moving toward a May 20 trial date, when a 402 conference was scheduled for Wednesday. A 402 conference is where attorneys and a judge discuss relevant information regarding the case and a potential outcome. A pretrial conference also was set for Wednesday, when the plea agreement was accepted.

Under that agreement, two counts of first-degree murder were dismissed and Ager was ordered to serve three years of mandatory supervised release after he has completed his prison sentence. He also was given credit for 271 days served and ordered to pay $954, which includes a $75 fine, court costs and fees.