Sydney Mays gets three life sentences for ‘callous’ 2018 triple murder

Posted on October 15, 2021
Sydney Mays Jr. of Bloomington, listens to charges filed against him at the Law and Justice Cener Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. He faces charges that he murdered Nate Pena, Corey Jackson and Juan Carlos Perez and injured Pena’s minor son, June 18, 2018. (Photo courtesy: HOI/ABC)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

BLOOMINGTON – The man accused of killing three people in Bloomington in 2018 will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Sydney Mays waived his right to appear in court for Friday’s sentencing, but proceedings went on without him.

A McLean County judge, calling Mays “callous,” sentenced Mays to three consecutive life sentences for three counts of murder, plus 50 years for attempted murder of a young boy.

Mays was convicted in February 2021 of nine counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Corey Jackson, Nathaniel Pena, and Juan Carlos Perez-Macedo.

A child was also seriously injured in that shooting.

Prosecutors said in the trial that Mays was trying to steal money and drugs from one of the victims.

After sentencing Friday, family and friends of Corey Jackson could be seen hugging one another, appearing relieved, and telling HOI ABC news, they were pleased with the sentence, although they had hoped Mays would get a fourth life sentence for the shooting of the young boy.

Sentencing had been delayed twice, once in April when Mays demanded a new attorney, and again earlier in October when Mays didn’t show up for the scheduled sentencing hearing.

Jackson’s father said his only regret was that he didn’t get to speak to Mays in person during Friday’s sentencing, calling him a coward for not showing up after “dragging out” the process.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…