Marschke Pleads Guilty to Drug Induced Homicide

Vandalia resident Richard Marschke has pleaded guilty to drug induced homicide.

During a hearing Wednesday morning in Effingham County Circuit Court, the 32-year-old Marschke pleaded guilty to delivering a substance containing heroin to an Altamont man, and that the man died of ingestion of the heroin into his body.

Marschke, in exchange for the guilty plea, was sentenced to 18 years in prison. That is one year more than the sentenced imposed on another county man in 2014 after he was found guilty of the same offense. Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler said he felt more culpability could be proved in Marschke's case, thus the lengthier sentence.

Kibler said the victim's family had been advised of the negotiated plea, and wanted more in terms of length of sentence, but told Judge Kimberly Koester the family was accepting the agreement.

Drug induced homicide is a Class X felony, carrying with it a sentence ranging from six to 30 years in prison.

Kibler said he hopes the convictions seen in the cases of drug induced homicide have played a role in fewer heroin overdoses in recent months in Effingham County. He also credited his office and a number of agencies, particularly Illinois State Police Zone 7 Investigations, for their work on the case, which included electronic overhears of conversations involving Marschke.