Cairo man sentenced to 70 years for first-degree murder
CAIRO, Ill. (KBSI) – A Cairo man was sentenced to 70 years behind bars for first-degree murder.
Samuel L. Lewis, 43, of Cairo was sentenced on May 2 to 70 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The sentence includes 45 years for first degree murder plus an additional 25 years due to the statutory firearm enhancement.
On January 15, a jury found Lewis guilty of first degree murder and that he fired a gun which caused the death of the victim.
The sentencing comes after an investigation by the Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 7 into the murder of 34-year-old Lafayette D. Woods.
ISP was requested by the Cairo Police Department to investigate the shooting death of Woods. It happened in the 2400 block of Sycamore Street of Cairo.
ISP, with the assistance from the Alexander County Sheriff’s Department and the Cairo Police Department, arrested Lewis on May 16, 2023.
The case was prosecuted by the Alexander County State’s Attorney’s Office.
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