Husband Kills Wife During Divorce Proceedings in Illinois

Disturbing Discovery on Lakefront Property

• 911 was called on September 2nd, 2025, reporting a 93-year-old man covered in blood at the end of a long driveway in Peak, Illinois.
• Officers arrived to find the elderly man, James Pate, waiting for them, with a woman, Cheryl Pate, found in critical condition with apparent neck injuries.

Escalation and Confession

• James Pate confessed to cutting Cheryl's throat with a knife he had in his car during an argument as they were leaving her house.
• He stated, "I just couldn't take it anymore," and admitted to hitting her before cutting her throat.
• The couple was in the process of a divorce, and Cheryl had been staying with a friend due to a severe wreck.

Investigation and Evidence

• Officers secured the scene while detectives began the forensics process, searching for the murder weapon.
• James Pate was taken to the police department, read his Miranda rights, and eventually described the knife as a red, folding hunting knife.
• The knife was later found by investigators in the woods near the property, approximately 30-40 feet from the car, with blood on it.

Autopsy and Charges

• Cheryl Pate ultimately passed away from her injuries, which included multiple stab wounds to her neck, face, and upper body, as well as defensive wounds on her arms and hands.
• Her cause of death was listed as multiple sharp force injuries to the neck.
• James Pate was charged with first-degree murder.

Tragic Irony and Conclusion

• The knife used was confirmed to be a CAT brand folding knife purchased by James Pate earlier that morning.
• In an ironic twist of fate, James Pate's health declined rapidly before trial, and he died of a heart condition on October 6th, 2025, becoming a widower.