Daily Egyptian

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Daily Egyptian WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016

SINCE 1916

DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM

VOL. 100 ISSUE 105

Court records indicate Mount Vernon homicide victim was bludgeoned, strangled to death BILL LUKITSCH | @Lukitsbill

The Mount Vernon woman whose burned remains were found in Carbondale died from strangulation after she was struck in the head with a hammer, according to information filed in Jackson County Court. Lauren L. Stinde, 23, of Carbondale, is accused of murdering Robin L. Stief in August and attempting to conceal her death by hiding her body in a metal trash can. Her arrest and three felony charges were announced Monday by the Jackson County State’s Attorney. If convicted on a charge of first degree murder, she faces a penalty of 20 to 60 years’ imprisonment. Stinde allegedly hit Stief in the head with a hammer, and then strangled and suffocated her,

Jackson County Court Lauren L. Stinde.

according to information filed in the court by the state’s attorney. Her bond has been set at $1 million. A preliminary hearing for is scheduled for Nov. 17. Stief ’s body was discovered Aug. 30 when firefighters responded to reports of something burning near Piles Fork Creek in Carbondale. After extinguishing the flames, they found the remains of a woman later identified as Stief. Please see HOMICIDE | 2

Luke Nozicka | @lukenozicka Jackson County emergency personnel transport a body discovered Aug. 30 from the Piles Fork Creek area along East Main Street in Carbondale.

Q&A: Southern Illinois state legislative candidates on higher education MARNIE LEONARD | @Marsuzleo

As voter attention is focused on the dramatic presidential election playing out on the national stage, candidates in state legislative elections fight to stay in the spotlight. More than $4 million has been invested in four local House and Senate races. With the state budget’s fate

remaining uncertain for the upcoming year, the future of Illinois will be decided by the legislators who take office in January. The state economic climate has negatively impacted SIU in more ways than one. Due in part to budget cuts resulting from a lack of state funding, SIU lost 246 full and part-time faculty members

from fall 2006 to fall 2015, according to university data. The data shows for the fall 2016 semester, enrollment hit its lowest point since 1964, which interim Chancellor Brad Colwell in September partially attributed to the state budget crisis. Academic and non-academic programs face cuts and university data displays graduate assistantships have been

reduced by 265 positions from spring 2016 to fall 2016. With SIU facing these adverse conditions, the Daily Egyptian asked legislative candidates in four local districts to answer questions regarding higher education policy in Illinois. In House District 115, Democrat Marsha Griffin of Jonesboro faces off against incumbent Rep. Terri Bryant,

R-Murphysboro. Fourth-grade teacher Griffin’s campaign regularly tells voters to “send a teacher to Springfield, not a politician,” while Bryant cites her experience in the Legislature as an advantage. Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, is challenged by Democrat Jason Kasiar of Eldorado in House District 118. Please see CANDIDATES | 2


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