Conviction Of Westmont Man Who Killed His Father Affirmed

WESTMONT, IL - A Westmont man who was found guilty of stabbing his father to death two years ago had his first-degree murder conviction upheld by an Illinois appellate court this week. The Second District Appellate Court of Illinois affirmed the conviction of William Clifford, Du Page County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said on Wednesday.

Clifford was found guilty in January of 2015 and two months later was sentenced to 35 years in prison in connection with the death of William Clifford Sr., 63 on May 28, 2011.

Westmont police at the time said they found the older Clifford lying in a hallway on the third floor of an apartment complex bleeding from his upper body and determined in an investigation that he died from multiple stab wounds that occurred during a fight with his son.

RELATED: Westmont Man Found Guilty Of Murdering Father

The younger Clifford appealed the conviction on challenges to a State witness opinion that indicated it was his palm print that matched a print found on the murder weapon. He also claimed that the sentence was not warranted because the trial court allegedly did not consider certain evidence.

“His attempt to call into question expert testimony confirming the fact that his prints were on the murder weapon and subsequent argument that 35 years is excessive for the murder of his father confirm he has no remorse for stabbing his father to death,” Berlin said in a statement after the appellate court decision.

Photo via Westmont Police Department