PEORIA, Ill. – A man will spend the rest of his natural life in prison for the shooting deaths of his girlfriend and her neighbor in Peoria two years ago.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says 44-year-old Stevie Linwood was sentenced Friday after a jury convicted him in February for the deaths of 35-year-old Zaneta Winters and 20-year-old Jakaiden Rynearson.
The shooting occurred the evening of August 11th, 2024 in the area of El Vista and Leroy.
Prosecutors say Winters was found by police in the doorway of her home, and died days later after being shot in the back of the head while reporting running for help.
Rynearson came to aid Winters but was shot three times and died months later from her injuries.
Linwood told police he admitted to shooting both and discarding the gun, due to an argument about infidelity.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that a natural life sentence was required under Illinois law because Linwood killed two people. Assistant State’s Attorney Dave Gast reportedly stated that the next time Linwood would be taken out of prison, unshackled, “will be in a pine box.”
Letters written by the mothers of the victims were read aloud in the court as well, and how Linwood’s child was negatively affected by the murder. The letter stated the child suffered from meltdowns, panic attacks, nightmares, and constant crying.
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