An Elgin woman has pleaded guilty and will go to prison for killing her boyfriend with a frying pan three years ago.

Nora P. Leach-Peterson, 37, most recently of the 100 block of South State Street, Elgin, agreed today (Friday, July 2, 2015) to a sentence of 22 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for a guilty plea to first-degree murder.

Circuit Judge James C. Hallock accepted the plea.

At about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 18, 2012, Leach-Peterson and her boyfriend, 55-year-old Michael Mielczarek, began to argue in the Elgin apartment they shared. During the argument, Leach-Peterson struck Mielczarek on the head several times with a frying pan. Neighbors heard the ruckus and called 911. When police arrived, Mielczarek was unresponsive and not breathing. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The autopsy revealed that Mielczrek died of blunt-force trauma to the head.

According to Illinois law, Leach-Peterson must serve 100 percent of the sentence. She receives credit for at least 970 days served in the Kane County jail. She has been held in the jail in lieu of $750,000 bail. Bond was revoked upon conviction.

“Had cooler heads prevailed, Michael Mielczarek likely would be alive today. But that is the nature of domestic violence. Emotion gets the better of someone and without intervention violence often ensues. Domestic violence is preventable, and prevention starts with awareness. Thanks to the Elgin Police Department for its thorough work, and to Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Greg Sams, who prosecuted this case,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said.

SOURCE: Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office press release