Springfield, IL – The Illinois Supreme Court is upholding the death sentence given to a Keokuk man for a murder rampage in western Illinois.
Daniel Ramsey was age 18 in July, 1996. That's when he killed 16-year old Laura Mason and 12-year old Lonna Sloop in Hancock County.
He also shot his ex-girlfriend and two young children.
Ramsey pleaded insanity, but a jury did not go along with his claim and found him guilty in 1997.
The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the conviction on a technicality in 2000 and ordered a new trial.
After a series of delays, Ramsey pleaded guilty before he went to trial in 2007. He was again sentence to death. Ramsey challenged that penalty, but the high court this week rejected his arguments.
Ramsey is now age 32. It's not known when or if his sentence will be carried out. There have been no executions in Illinois since then-Governor George Ryan imposed a death penalty moratorium in 1999.