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Peoria Heights man sentenced to 50 years for murder

By WEEK Reporter
March 11, 2013 Updated Mar 11, 2013 at 9:42 PM CDT

PEORIA, Ill. -- A Peoria Heights man was sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing an 81-year-old man with a hammer last year.

Joshua Peecher, 32, plead guilty to killing Billy Price in January of last year. Peecher killed Price by striking him in the head with a hammer.

He fled the scene Price's van and was found hiding in that vehicle by police on January 14.

Peecher faced 100 years in prison for the crime, but was sentenced to 50 years as part of his plea bargain.

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