Peoria man sentenced to 45 years in prison for wife’s drowning death

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A Peoria man was sentenced Wednesday to decades behind bars for killing his wife of 40 years by drowning her in a basement sink.

Michael Vorrath, 68, was found guilty in August after a jury deliberated for about four hours before finding him guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Nancy, at their home.

The case had gone to trial twice before, both ending in mistrials.

In May, now-retired Peoria County Circuit Judge John Vespa granted the state’s motion for a mistrial after a witness, a Chicago-based pathologist, talked about a video that didn’t exist. That witness’ testimony resulted in the first mistrial last summer.

At the first trial in August 2023, the same pathologist mentioned evidence that was inadmissible at trial and that Vespa had previously ruled could not be discussed in front of the jury.

Vorrath, a former Journal Star advertising representative, faced first-degree murder charges in connection with the Nov. 23, 2019, death of his wife who was found headfirst in the downstairs basin.

After Vorrath called 911 regarding his wife, paramedics arrived just around 1 p.m. to their home on West Lexington Court.

She was pronounced dead about an hour later. An autopsy indicated she drowned and also had “multiple and significant blunt force injuries, consistent with inflicted trauma,” according to court records.

At trial, Team Vorrath argued that his wife had emotional issues and was on new medication. Rather than a murderer, Michael Vorrath was a grieving husband who sought to save his wife of 40 years, they said.

During the sentencing hearing the Vorrath children talked about how Nancy Vorrath was the “light of their life” and how the death of their mother had affected them and the family name, according to States Attorney Jodi Hoos.

Assistant State’s Attorney Dave Gast argued that Vorrath should receive a lengthy sentence.

“Gast argued that this was a “hands-on crime” where the defendant submerged Mrs. Vorrath in a sink, held her there, and watched her life leave her body. For that, he deserved a lengthy prison sentence,” Hoos said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.