A 23-year-old Washington woman was sentenced to 40 years in prison Wednesday for stabbing her mother to death and leaving her body in a nature preserve southwest of Bloomington.
Christine Roush pleaded guilty last month to first-degree murder in the death of Teresa Ann Poehlman of East Peoria, who was stabbed and her body left in a secluded area in the Funks Grove Nature Preserve. Hikers found Poehlman's body July 2 at the preserve southwest of Bloomington.
Roush faced between 20 and 60 years in prison at Wednesday’s sentencing. Her co-defendant, Matt Isbell of Marquette Heights, also faces murder charges. He's set for trial May 7.
Poehlman was visiting Bloomington-Normal to meet with Roush, her biological daughter, who was staying at a motel in town. Poehlman, Roush, and Isbell were together on July 1. The next day, according to prosecutors, Roush and Isbell drove with Poehlman to the Funks Grove area in Isbell’s truck. Roush’s plan was to kill Poehlman on the Funks Grove trip, Isbell told authorities.
Authorities say Roush killed her mother because she threatened to report to authorities Roush's alleged work as a prostitute. Such action could have jeopardized Roush's efforts to have custody of her 2-year-old daughter.
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