For killing his uncle 3 years ago, a Peoria man receives a life sentence

PEORIA – Barring a successful appeal, a Peoria man will spend the rest of his life in prison, a judge ordered this week.

Peoria County Circuit Judge John Vespa handed down the life sentence for Anthony L. Jackson, who was convicted in March after a three-day bench trial of fatally shooting his uncle in 2018.

Vespa also found Jackson, 31, guilty of possession of a weapon by a felon, also in connection with the June 7, 2018, shooting death of Timothy Jackson. For the weapons count, the judge imposed a six-year sentence as well.

Related: How a judge ruled after a 3-day trial over a fatal 2018 Peoria family feud

An appeal was filed on Friday with the clerk.

Timothy Jackson, 43, had allegedly been stabbed by his nephew hours before being shot to death. He'd been treated at and released from a hospital, then drove back to his home in the 600 block of West Willcox Avenue, where he was shot near his house.

Related: As Peoria murder trial begins, prosecutors say a bloody fight preceded this 2018 slaying

Officers had gone to the hospital, but Timothy Jackson had refused to cooperate with them, according to police reports and court records. The time from when Timothy Jackson was stabbed to when he was fatally shot was less than six hours, according to trial testimony.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria man receives life sentence for killing his uncle in 2018