By Heart of Illinois ABC

FULTON COUNTY – It took only three hours for a 12-person jury to find Nathan Woodring guilty of murder in the death of a local sheriff’s deputy.

Fulton County Deputy Troy Chisum was shot and killed at Woodring’s home in June 2019, while responding to a domestic disturbance call in rural Avon.

Woodring was emotionless and still as the verdict was read, finding him guilty but mentally ill on both murder charges. He was not in handcuffs when he was led out of the courtroom.

After the verdict was read, Chisum’s friends and family could be seen hugging and crying outside the courtroom.

The prosecution argued for a “guilty but mentally ill” verdict, meaning Woodring‘s paranoia that day was a direct result of his drug use that morning.

The defense did not dispute that Woodring was the one who fired the fatal shots that killed Chisum but argued for an insanity defense and possible second-degree murder conviction.

The defense contended that Woodring was so chronically mentally ill that he did not understand the impact of his actions and therefore could not be held criminally responsible for the murder.

Witnesses testified during the trial that the defendant’s mental state was spiraling out of control. They say he believed everyone he saw was a police officer and drones and people were constantly tapping his phones and spying on him.

During closing arguments, prosecutors said Woodring asked crisis negotiators how Chisum was doing while he was barricaded inside his home following the shooting.

State’s Attorney Justin Jochums said that was evidence Woodring understood what was going on.

The defense argued that Woodring‘s paranoia about police and numerous other mental health issues persisted even when he was not under the influence of drugs.

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