Hammer Man Who Bludgeoned Dead Wife’s Head Freed From Prison After Just 21 Months

JOLIET, IL — The Romeoville Hammer Man was freed from prison Friday morning after serving just 21 months for bludgeoning his wife in the head and then hiding her rotting corpse for 10 days.

John Sadler, 73, left Dixon Correctional Center, where he served his time for the involuntarily manslaughter of his wife, Carol Sadler, and concealing her homicide. He pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2015.

Sadler, a retired accountant, at first faced murder charges after the cops found the 10-day-old corpse of his wife inside their Benzie Circle home in July 2010. He was jailed following the grisly discovery and held on a $3 million bond.

But even though he reportedly admitted to police that he hit his 66-year-old wife in the head with a hammer, prosecutors reduced the charges after an autopsy revealed Carol Sadler actually died of a heart attack and not her head wound. She apparently suffered the heart attack mere moments before her husband clubbed her with the hammer.

John Sadler’s bond was reduced to $300,000. He promptly posted it and was released from custody.

John Sadler had shot down an earlier deal offered by prosecutors, much to the chagrin of his daughter. The anguished woman shouted from the courtroom gallery at John Sadler, telling him, “Take the deal, dad! My God, take the deal!”

John Sadler | image via Illinois Department of Corrections