North Aurora Man Pleads Guilty to Stabbing His Father to Death

A North Aurora man has pleaded guilty to stabbing his father to death in the family home in August 2012.

Martrell D. Harris, 25, of the 700 block of Jorstad, North Aurora, agreed Friday to a sentence of 11 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for a guilty plea to second-degree murder, a Class 1 felony.

Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti accepted the plea.

At about 10 a.m. Aug. 20, 2012, following a series of heated arguments between the victim, 41-year-old Michael D. Harris, and several members of his family, Michael Harris and his wife began to argue again in the upstairs master bedroom. Martrell Harris and his brother went into the bedroom and the brother pushed Michael Harris into a walk-in closet.

The brothers left the bedroom and Martrell Harris went downstairs, changed his clothes and, believing that he and other family members who were present were in danger of imminent harm, retrieved a knife with a 3-inch blade. Martrell Harris went back upstairs and began to argue with his father again. The argument became a physical altercation and Martrell Harris pulled the knife from his back pocket and stabbed his father once in the chest, killing him.

According to Illinois law, Martrell Harris is eligible for day-for-day credit. He was given credit for at least 488 days served in the Kane County jail. He has been held in the Kane County jail in lieu of $1.8 million bail. Bond was revoked upon conviction.

“After consulting with the family members of the victim, Michael Harris, we believe this is an appropriate outcome to this tragic case,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said. “I hope this guilty plea and sentence helps the Harris family find a sense of peace and justice.”

The case was prosecuted by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney David Belshan.

SOURCE: Kane County State's Attorney's Office