Cody Sales, a 30-year-old from Plattville, Illinois, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on January 26, 2026, for killing his mother and family dog.
Case Background
Sales murdered his 62-year-old mother, Nancy Sales, with a hammer in their home on the 6500 block of Chicago Road in June 2022, and also killed the family dog. Authorities discovered the bodies during a welfare check. He later confessed to law enforcement but his defense argued insanity at his November 2025 trial.
Verdict and Sentence
A jury found Sales guilty but mentally ill, rejecting full insanity but acknowledging his mental health issues—he had refused prior treatment and medication. He received 29 years for first-degree murder (served at 100% under Illinois law) plus 1 year for aggravated animal cruelty, to run consecutively. Treatment is mandated during incarceration.
Judicial Rationale
Kendall County Judge Jody Gleason considered trial evidence, victim impact statements, the crime’s brutality, and Sales’ danger to the public before imposing the sentence. State’s Attorney Eric Weis noted it aims to deliver justice to a “torn apart” family.
