A Bloomington man was formally charged Wednesday with stabbing his wife to death this week during a fight at their home and abusing his 8-year-old stepson in two separate incidents last year.
Monroe Elbert, 50, is charged with murder in the death of his wife, Nicole Elbert. Monroe allegedly stabbed his wife to death with a butcher knife Monday afternoon as she packed her belongings and planned to leave their home at 610 N. McLean St., just east of downtown Bloomington.
Elbert allegedly told police he was arguing with his wife before grabbing a knife from the kitchen and confronting her in an upstairs bedroom. Monroe later called 911 to report he had just killed his wife, authorities said. Nicole Elbert, 30, died from her wounds before police arrived. Officers found Monroe Elbert outside the home in blood-stained clothing and still holding the knife, prosecutors said.
Elbert appeared in McLean County court Wednesday. He was formally charged with six felony counts of murder and aggravated battery of a child.
The battery charges stem from two incidents in 2017 when he allegedly abused his wife’s 8-year-old son (his stepson). Authorities say the boy suffered a head laceration and a broken leg in those incidents. The boy was removed from the home by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the McLean County state’s attorney’s office said in a probable cause statement read in court.
During his police interview after the stabbing, Elbert allegedly admitted to abusing the boy.
Elbert is being held at the McLean County jail on $5 million bond.
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