PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Following a mistrial two weeks ago, a Peoria man accused of drowning his wife received a new trial date of Feb. 5.
Michael Vorrath, 67, appeared Thursday in Peoria County Circuit Court in a dress shirt and a tie before Circuit Judge John Vespa. He said little during the hearing which lasted less than one minute.
Trial settings in Vespa’s courtroom tend to be a few months out to allow attorneys time to review evidence. That Vorrath is not being held in custody also plays a factor as those who are behind bars tend to get earlier dates.
Vespa declared a mistrial on Aug. 30, after a witness made an improper statement during the trial and before the jury of 12.
Vorrath stands charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 23, 2019, death of his wife, Nancy, who was found headfirst in a wash basin in the couple’s North Peoria home.
Paramedics were called to 3352 W. Lexington Court, shortly after 1 p.m. that day after Vorrath called 911 regarding his wife.
She was pronounced dead about an hour later. An autopsy indicated she drowned and also had “multiple and significant blunt force injuries, consistent with inflicted trauma,” according to court records.
Team Vorrath argued that his wife, Nancy, had emotional issues and was on new medication. Rather than a murderer, Michael Vorrath was a grieving husband who sought to save his wife of 40 years, they said at his trial last month.
