Long Prison Term Given In Joliet Teen's Heroin Death

JOLIET, IL - On Friday, an ex-convict and drug pusher from Shorewood who was found guilty last October for the June 2013 heroin overdose death of Joliet teenager Becky Sova, learned he will be returning to the Illinois Department of Corrections for a long time. Will County Judge Dave Carlson sentenced Dwight Musson, now 38, to 24 years of imprisonment for the defendant's drug-induced homicide conviction.

Based on state sentencing laws, Musson will be obligated to serve at least 75 percent of the sentence. In other words, Musson will likely remain incarcerated for another 18 years, which would put him in his mid-fifties when he becomes eligible for release. At Friday's sentencing, Judge Carlson had the latitude to sentence Musson to as little as six years of prison and as much as 30 years in prison.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office issued a press release reacting to the sentence.

“This is the most sinister and diabolical unlawful delivery of heroin case that we have successfully prosecuted,” said State’s Attorney James Glasgow. “Dwight Musson preyed upon an innocent young girl and then literally left her to die.”

Prosecutors pointed out that text messages entered into evidence at trial by Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Fitzgerald and Peter Wilkes revealed the defendant already had the heroin in his vehicle when he drove to meet the woman. These text messages proved Musson was actually the dealer of the dangerous narcotic.

The State’s Attorney continued: “We have deployed every available resource to stop this deadly heroin epidemic in Will County and to discourage people from using this dangerous narcotic. However, in this case, make no mistake that this young impressionable girl was killed by this treacherous predator, who abused her with no concern for her well-being. This lengthy and substantial sentence absolutely fits the crime, but nothing can ever compensate for the tragic death of this promising young girl.”

Musson went on trial last October in the courtroom of Judge Carlson, opting for a bench trial, instead of a jury trial. When the trial concluded, Musson was found guilty of drug-induced homicide and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance. On Friday, the judge also sentenced Musson to 11 years for the Unlawful Delivery charge. The law requires this sentence be served concurrently with the Drug Induced Homicide sentence, the state's attorney's office said.

Joliet Patch previously reported that in the summer of 2013, Sova, a recent Joliet West graduate, overdosed inside Musson's home. They were dating at the time. He was 34 and a former convict. She was 18 and preparing to attend college.

Trial testimony revealed that Musson got up and went to work without checking on her after the two partied together and used heroin at his home in the 200 block of Shorewood's Ravinia Drive. Eventually, several hours later, Musson brought her to Saint Joseph's hospital where she later died. The Will County Coroner's investigation determined that Sova died on July 2, 2013 of opiate intoxication.

RELATED COVERAGE FROM JOLIET PATCH

• Dwight Musson Guilty In Becky Sova's Death
• Shorewood Heroin Defendant Dealt Setback At Trial
• Drug-Induced Homicide Charges Filed Against Musson
• 85 Heroin/Fentanyl Deaths In Will County For 2017
• Family's Heroin Home In Bolingbrook Caused Death: Lawsuit

Mugshot of Dwight Musson via Will County Sheriff