A 23-year-old West Side man was convicted in Cook County Criminal Court on Monday of first degree murder, solicitation of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery in the 1992 shooting death of his stepfather.
Eric Watkins, of 4815 W. Haddon Ave., will be sentenced May 28 by Judge Daniel Locallo. He faces a maximum prison sentence of natural life without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.
Watkins conspired with three friends to murder his stepfather, 43-year-old Rufus Simpson, and make it look like a robbery after learning of Simpson’s $200,000 life insurance policy. Watkins and his mother, Elaine Watkins Simpson, were the beneficiaries, prosecutor Robert Milan said.
Donell Austin, 24, and Bobbie Wollie, 23, were convicted last year and sentenced to 80 years and 75 years in prison, respectively. A juvenile pleaded guilty in the case last year and was sentenced to 20 years.
