Illinois man crushed grandmother's skull with hammer: prosecutor

PEORIA, Ill. - A man killed his grandmother by crushing her skull and face with a hammer, a prosecutor said during a bond hearing for the accused.

Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Ramos described the scene during the bond hearing Friday for Cody Krause, 28.

Peoria County deputies found the body of Glenda Rusterholz, 73, at her home Thursday.

Autopsy results released Friday morning by Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood stated that Rusterholz suffered "multiple severe blunt force trauma injuries consistent with being assaulted by another." She also had multiple defensive wounds through her upper extremities, the Journal Star reported.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 CHICAGO APP FOR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Deputies found Krause with hands and boots covered in what appeared to be blood and carrying a hammer.

Cody Krause | Peoria County Sheriff's Office

Krause was taken into custody and later questioned at the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office, where he told officers he hit Rusterholz with the hammer an unknown number of times, Ramos said. He also told officers that he heard voices in his head, which stopped after killing his grandmother. Krause also said that it would be best if all of his family were dead, Ramos said.

Attorney Michael Vespa from the Peoria County Public Defender’s Office asked for bail to be set at $1 million, but Judge Mark Giles sided with Ramos’ request for $2.5 million.