Elbert pleads guilty, claims mentally ill

Posted on June 26, 2019

*Monroe Elbert appeared in a McLean County Court room Tuesday where he plead guilty to murder. (Photo courtesy: Bloomington Police Department)*

By Blake Haas and WMBD

BLOOMINGTON – The lawyer of the Bloomington man accused of killing his wife in a domestic dispute proved his client was mentally ill when he committed the murder.

In February of 2018 police were called here to North McLean Street on reports of a domestic violence incident. The caller was 50-year-old Monroe Elbert and the victim was his 30 year old wife Nicole.

As B-P-D arrived Elbert admitted to stabbing his wife multiple times, saying they had a fight about her cellphone records.

Tuesday Elbert appeared in court for a plea hearing where he pleaded guilty to the murder but claims he was mentally ill at the time.

To prove it, his lawyer read a statement from Elbert’s doctor in which he said Elbert showed signs of schizophrenia, and paranoia. Elbert also claims there were voices in his head telling him to commit the crime.

After hearing this, the state and the defense both agreed Elbert was mentally ill. Elbert is now facing up to 34 years in prison, and he will be sentenced in late Aug.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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