EDWARDSVILLE, Ill (KMOX) - There will be no trial as the man charged with killing attorney Randy Gori inside his home last year pleaded guilty Tuesday morning.
Timothy Banowetz, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery. He was charged with stabbing the well-known lawyer, tying up his two young sons and stealing Gori's high-end sports car.
Prosecutors hoped to prove Banowetz was motivated by the need to pay off $11,000 in college loans and he picked Gori randomly through social media as his robbery target. He was a student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
Gori, who specialized in asbestos cases around the county, was stabbed to death in his mansion while his two young sons were tied up. Banowetz had a "to-do" list that including burning down Gori's home with the victims still inside, according to prosecutors.
Banowetz had a list of information about Gori and his plans on his phone, including finding Zip ties, Gori's wealthy family members, photos of his house and his expensive collection of cars. He also had studied a home and wooden area near Gori's home, which was the same location he was arrested in Gori's Rolls Royce, according to prosecutors.
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