Gempel's 20-Year Murder Sentence A Fair Resolution: Spokesman

JOLIET, IL - For almost five years, Bruce Gempel, the Crest Hill man who murdered his 89-year-old neighbor Dorothy Dumyahn by brutally stabbing her to death and setting her house on fire to hide his misdeeds, has been locked away from society, unable to harm anybody else. On Thursday, this long-time Will County jail inmate Bruce Gempel had a change of heart about his fate. During the middle of his jury trial, Gempel opted to plead guilty in Will County Courtroom 407 of Judge David Carlson. The convicted killer ended up with a 20-year prison sentence for the crime of first-degree murder. The agreement had the stamp of approval of the Will County Public Defender's Office and the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

Representing the Will County State's Attorney's Office during this week's jury trial were Michael Fitzgerald, Christopher Koch and Elizabeth Domagalla. Gempel was represented by assistant public defenders Lea Norbut and Eric Berg. After Gempel's sentencing, prosecutors deferred comment on the case to Chuck Pelkie, the Will County State's Attorney's Office spokesman. Pelkie told Joliet Patch the plea agreement was a fair resolution for a host of reasons.

For one thing, Gempel is now 53 years old. Thursday's sentencing agreement means Gempel will be imprisoned in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the next several years. Gempel did, however, receive credit for serving roughly 1,760 days in jail while awaiting his trial. He was 48 when he committed the murder, back on November 18 2012, on Caton Farm Road.

"The significance of the plea agreement is that it secures a conviction for first-degree murder and guarantees he will serve time in prison until he is of an old age," Pelkie said.

Pelkie also pointed out the District Attorney's Office had "consulted with family members" of murder victim Dorothy Dumhayn to make sure they were aware of the plea agreement.

"It's been a long process and hopefully this brings some closure," Pelkie said.

Gempel, one of Dumyahn's next door neighbors, was taken into custody two days after her slaying. Court records indicate he was borrowing lots of money from her. At Thursday's sentencing, the convicted killer apologized to Dumyahn's family members and her dear friends who were seated in the courtroom for his trial.

In front of Judge David Carlson, Gempel blamed his troubled life on many years of alcohol and drug abuse.

From Pelkie's viewpoint, Thursday's plea guilty plea "takes away any appellate issues whatsoever. It takes that off the table," he said.

At the time of the crime, authorities quickly realized that the 89-year-old Crest Hill woman did not die from smoke inhalation from the fire, but she was brutally stabbed and her body showed defensive wounds. Police detectives with the Will-Grundy County Major Crimes Task Force noticed Gempel acting strangely near the crime scene. Upon closer inspection, these detectives realized he had several cuts and major scratches upon his body, including a gash near his right eye.

Unlike his other family members who lived nearby, Bruce Gempel did not have a solid alibi to account for his whereabouts around the time of the mysterious fire.

For other Patch coverage on the Dorothy Dumyahn murder case:

• Dorothy Dumyahn's Murderer Pleads Guilty During Trial
• Gempel Scratched Up After Murder On Caton Farm Road
• Gempel Murder Trial This Week

Booking mugshot via Will County Sheriff's Department

Other image via Patch Files