Sadler Case Continued Until July

John Sadler made a brief appearance before Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak on Thursday.

The Romeoville man is charged with aggravated battery of a senior citizen and aggravated domestic abuse stemming from his wife’s death in July 2010. The body of Caroline Sadler, 66, was discovered in the couple’s Benzie Circle home, roughly 10 days after she died after being struck in the head with a hammer, according to police.

John Sadler originally faced charges of first-degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death. Prosecutors filed reduced charges against the semiretired CPA in October 2010 after pathologists determined that Caroline Sadler, who reportedly suffered from heart and respiratory ailments, died of a heart attack.

"The autopsy results came back and it became clear that we couldn't conclusively determine that the strike to the head was the cause of death," said state's attorney's office spokesman Chuck Pelkie said this spring.

Caroline Sadler’s body was discovered after police conducted a series of welfare checks at the request of the couple’s daughter.

Last summer, Assistant Chief Steve Lucchesi said the daughter, who lives in Texas, contacted Romeoville Police on July 26, saying she had not been able to reach her mother in nearly two weeks.

Lucchesi said John Sadler told police his wife was in Michigan and would return later that afternoon. Several hours later, police said, the daughter again contacted police, saying she was still unable to get in touch with her mother.

Police who returned to the Sadler home detected a foul odor coming from inside the house, according to Lucchesi. After John Sadler refused to let officers conduct a search of the home, police brought in a cadaver dog from the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. The dog indicated the presence of human remains at the Benzie Circle home, police said.

Police said Sadler admitted that his wife was dead, saying he hit her in the head with a hammer during an argument 10 days earlier.

Attorney Ignatius Villasenor said Sadler has completed a mental health evaluation.

Sadler, who is free on bond, is due back in court July 7.