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DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - A Chicago man will spend two decades in state prison after admitting he tried to kill a woman he was dating by stabbing her 11 times inside a west suburban hotel room in 2022.
What we know:
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said Monday that 53-year-old Willie Tidwell was sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Willie Tidwell
According to prosecutors, the attack happened around 9:17 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2022, at the Extended Stay hotel at 1827 Centre Point Circle in Naperville.
Authorities said Tidwell went to the woman's hotel room, where the two got into an argument after he accused her of ignoring his phone calls and blocking his number.
Prosecutors said the argument became physical. Tidwell repeatedly hit the woman before pulling out a knife and stabbing her 11 times in the stomach, neck and chest.
After the attack, Tidwell ran from the hotel and the woman called 911. Tidwell was arrested Sept. 30, 2022, at a home in Calumet City without incident.
A judge denied him pretrial release at his first court appearance, and he has remained in the DuPage County Jail since his arrest.
Tidwell pleaded guilty on Dec. 10, 2025, to one count of attempted murder.
What they're saying:
"The brutal attack of an innocent woman who was left for dead alone in a hotel room, beaten and stabbed multiple times, is a stark reminder that domestic violence continues to plague society," Berlin said in a statement.
"The survivor of this horrendous attack will carry physical and emotional scars with her for the rest of her life and I wish her strength as she copes with the aftermath of what Mr. Tidwell has done to her."
What's next:
Tidwell must serve at least 85% of his 20-year prison sentence before he is eligible for parole.
The Source: The information in this story came from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.