The man accused of murdering an NIU student in the fall of 2011 will not stand trial. 21-year-old Chaz Thrailkill has opted to plead guilty for the shooting death of Stephen Agee II. In exchange for the plea, he was given a 30-year prison term.
Thrailkill was sentenced to 25 years in prison for first-degree murder and another five years for attempted aggravated discharge of a firearm. He could have faced a 45-year-sentence if he'd been convicted during a trial, which was scheduled to begin later this month.
Authorities say Thrailkill fired the shots during an argument at an off-campus party. The suspect was visiting a friend at the time of the deadly incident. The victim was a sociology major who was scheduled to graduate the following spring.