Sanity Hearing for Man Charged with Mother's Murder

A man accused of strangling and stabbing his mother before dumping her body in the Des Plaines River will soon have a sanity hearing.

Although a judge previously found 22-year-old Charles "C.J." McCullum fit to stand trial, attorneys agreed this week to schedule a hearing for March.

McCullum is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother, 54-year-old Jeanie Parker.

Police said McCullum choked his mother to unconsciousness after an argument in the family's home at 118 Fifth Ave. on March 20, 2013, then stabbed her repeatedly before hammering a knife into her chest using a baseball bat. Prosecutors allege he then dragged her body to a car, drove to the Des Plaines River and dumped it into the water.

Neighbors alerted police to Parker's disappearance after McCullum showed up on their doorstep "acting erratically" and then Parker failed to meet them at the time when they typically got together, police said.

According to police, officers who arrived at the Fifth Avenue home found a large amount of blood outside, and a blood trail leading into the garage. Parker's blue Dodge Intrepid was missing.

After putting out a bulletin, police found McCullum driving his mother's car in Joliet. According to police, the inside of the car was covered in blood. 

After obtaining a warrant, police said they found more blood inside Parker's home, along with what they believed to be the murder weapon.

Parker's body was discovered in the river by a fisherman on April 13, 2013, several weeks after her death.

Last summer, Assistant Public Defender Kristine Honiotes asked for a sanity hearing, citing McCullum's "history of mental health issues and upon information and belief is currently on psychotropic medications." She also said "he does not appear to adequately understand the nature of the proceedings" and "cannot adequately assist his counsel in the defense of this case," court papers said.

According to police, McCullum had a "history of conflict" with his mother.

McCullum is charged with murder, concealing a homicidal death and aggravated battery. He remains in custody at the Will County jail on $5 million bond.