A Streamwood woman was sentenced Wednesday to 34 years after being convicted of killing a 17-year-old man in Elgin in 2009.
“Although justice has been served, there are no winners today," said Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon. "A child was murdered by someone’s mother. And as a result, this woman has been removed from her family and will spend most of the rest of her life in prison."
In August, 35-year-old Timera Branch was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the death of John Keyes III.
Branch used her car to strike Keyes with her 1991 Chrysler Imperial on Nov. 8, 2009, crushing him against an apartment building at 260 Center St. After running him down, prosecutors said she exited her car and incited others in a second car to continue the attack.
Keyes was pronounced dead a short time later.
During the trial, Branch testified she drove her car into Keyes because she was angry he had bullied her 16-year-old son, LaCorbek Benion.
"Two families were destroyed because of one person’s pursuit of vigilante justice and complete disregard for human life,” McMahon said.
Prosecutors also accused Branch's son of hitting Keyes with a baseball bat after he was crushed with the car. Benion is now awaiting trial on first-degree charges.
