A press release from McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi:

RICHARD NIELSEN SENTENCED TO 32 YEARS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Richard G. Nielsen,  53, formerly of Wonder Lake, was sentenced today to 32 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for one count of First Degree Murder following a jury trial in August 2013.

The evidence at trial revealed that on February 6, 2012, Defendant was asked to leave a Wonder Lake residence earlier in the day, but returned to the home late that night drunk, angry and demanding that he be allowed to stay.

When the victim, Jeremy Lechner, asked Defendant to leave, he was stabbed in the chest with a knife.

The medical evidence at trial showed that there was significant force to break through the victim’s rib, go through his lung and puncture his heart.

The victim died from a single knife wound to his heart.

This case was investigated by the Wonder Lake Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted for the State by Assistant State’s Attorneys Sharyl Eisenstein and Michael Combs.