Ill. man pleads guilty to killing missing girlfriend who was allegedly dismembered

DECATUR, Ill. (TCN) -- A 47-year-old man pleaded guilty last week to killing his missing on-again, off-again girlfriend whose remains have still not been found.

Macon County court records show Troy Slaw entered the plea on Aug. 16 for the first-degree murder of Norma Crutchfield. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of dismemberment of a human body and concealment of death.

Crutchfield was reported missing to the Decatur Police Department on Nov. 20, 2020. According to the Missing Persons Awareness Network, Crutchfield was last seen on Oct. 31, 2020, when her mom dropped her off at Slaw's house. She was reportedly believed to have been in the victim of domestic violence because her mother said she had seen her with black eyes after spending time at Slaw's house.

Decatur Police arrested Slaw and an alleged co-conspirator, Chase Freeman, in May 2022 following a "lengthy and complex investigation."

WAND-TV reports Freeman told police Slaw showed him a body in a closet in November 2020. Freeman said the victim had been stabbed in the chest and the body had been in the closet for several days. Freeman allegedly claimed Slaw put curtains and large bags around the bathroom asked him to help get rid of the body. Freeman reportedly said he wouldn't, then allegedly ended up helping Slaw.

Court documents cited by WCIA-TV say Freeman admitted to disposing of the dismembered body parts in the garbage.

Decatur Police executed a search warrant at the home in December 2020 and found blood evidence matching Crutchfield.

Freeman, who has been charged with dismembering a human body and concealing homicidal death, is still awaiting trial.

Slaw's sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 4.