SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — An Illinois man accused of stabbing a child protection worker was murdered while visiting the house to check on the children. She was found guilty of the murder, but is mentally ill.
Sangamon County District Judge John Madonia on Thursday convicted Benjamin Howard Reed of the first-degree murder of Deidre Silas, a child protection specialist for the Department of Children and Family Services.
Maldonia called Silas’s murder “one of the most brutal and horrific” cases he has seen in his legal career, The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported.
Silas was killed in January 2022 when she responded to a call about possible endangered children at a home in Thayer, about 23 miles (37 kilometers) south of Springfield.
Authorities say Reed, 35, stabbed Silas, a 36-year-old mother of two, 43 times in his home and also beat her to death with a sledgehammer.
Sangamon County District Attorney John Milhiser said in a statement that the judge found that Reed “had a mental illness as defined by Illinois law, which was present at the time of the murder, resulting in a guilty but mentally ill verdict.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Deidre Silas’ family and the child protection workers across the state who work every day to keep the most vulnerable members of our community safe,” he added. “Today’s court ruling holds the defendant accountable for this brutal murder.
Silas’ death prompted the passage of two laws in Illinois that address the safety of child care workers.
Reed opted for a bench trial late last year instead of a jury trial. He is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 15 and faces 20 years to life in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Silas was called to the home to investigate “a report of abuse and neglect” against the parents of two children living in the home. Although the report did not initially involve Reed or his wife’s four children and stepchildren, Silas was tasked with assessing all six children living in the home along with six adults.
Witnesses said Reed became agitated when he learned Silas worked for DCFS and said the agency had taken children from several relatives.
Reed’s attorney, Mark Wykoff, said his client has suffered from mental illness his entire life. Despite Thursday’s guilty plea, he said he took comfort in knowing Reed would now receive the treatment he needed at the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Wykoff added that “the outcome is tragic for the victim, for the victim’s family. It’s tragic for Mr. Reed.”