Woman pleads guilty to Westville man's murder

DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - A woman has plead guilty to first degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of a Westville man.

On January 26, Bailey Castigliola, formerly of Danville, plead guilty and was sentenced to 27 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

On December 28, 2020 the victim, Richard Truett, was reported missing by his mother to the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department.

Witnesses provided information that Michelle Ingram was involved with the disappearance of Richard Truett. They reported Truett was seen getting into a vehicle with Bailey Castigliola and Michelle Ingram on December 27, 2020.

As the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department looked for leads into the disappearance of Truett, bloody clothes and an identification card for Truett were located in a dumpster in Rossville, Illinois, along with Castigliola’s DNA.

Michelle Ingram was taken into custody and stated to investigators that she and Castigliola picked up the victim in Castigliola’s vehicle and that Castigliola stabbed the victim once in the upper thigh.

Ingram described that, after some time, she and Castigliola dumped the victim’s body in a rural location in Indiana.

Ingram cooperated with police and attempted to assist them in finding the body. After months of searching, Truett’s body was found in Fountain County, Indiana.

The forensic pathologist confirmed Truett died from a stab wound of the left medial thigh.

Multiple witnesses came forward with information that Castigliola had made statements regarding stabbing the victim and dumping his body.

On September 26, 2022, in exchange for her agreement to cooperate and testify against Castigliola, Michelle Ingram plead to Attempted First Degree Murder, a Class X felony for 21 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, followed by 18 months mandatory supervised release.

State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanked the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department for their perseverance throughout the lengthy investigation. She said, “Through the cooperation of witnesses and diligent work by the Sheriff’s Department we were able to provide some closure to the family of Mr. Truett."