Illinois resident Nicholas Sheley, who is accused of killing eight people, is now filing for divorce. Sheley was convicted of two murders in June of 2008. He had been married to his wife for two months at that time. The couple has now been married for five years. They has two children. The couple’s 8-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter live with the paternal grandparents. Sheley is requesting that the current child custody arrangement remain the same.
Sheley filed his handwritten petition for divorce in Whiteside County Court. He states that his wife cheated on him on numerous occasions and is guilty of extreme mental cruelty. He also cites irreconcilable differences and that the couple has been separated for five years.
Sheley will soon be facing his third murder trial in Rock County. He will stand trial for the murder of three adults and a 2-year-old child who were all bludgeoned to death. He is currently serving two life sentences for the murder of two men. Sheley’s wife testified against him in one of the trials in exchange for immunity from prosecution for any crimes that she may be guilty of in connection with the killings.
The wife testified that Sheley is a violent drunk who often used cocaine when he had been drinking. She reported that at the time of the murders he was spending $300 a day on drugs. She herself has several convictions for drug charges, burglary, retail theft and forgery. She was most recently sentenced to 180 days in jail for unlawful possession of another person’s credit card. All of these are probably factors in why the paternal grandparents have custody of the children.
Source: Sauk Valley Media, “Sheley seeking a divorce,” Christi Warren, Aug. 1, 2013