Matthew Stubbendieck of Weeping Water has been sentenced to 25 days in jail and four years probation for assisting his girlfriend's suicide last August.
Stubbendieck was arrested in October 2017, accused of assisting in the death of Alicia Wilemon-Sullivan. Her body was found in a wooded area near Weeping Water in early August of last year. As the investigation progressed, Stubbendieck contacted deputies and told them Alicia, his girlfriend of one-and-a-half-years, suffered from Stage 4 cancer.
Stubbendieck told authorities she said she, "couldn't live another minute."Autopsy results and medical records ultimately showed no signs of cancer. Stubbendieck told investigators that he had promised Alicia he wouldn't contact anyone for "five or six months" but he contacted the Sheriff’s Department and said, "this is destroying my family."
As the case went to trial, the defense argued that Matthew Stubbendieck was caught in a web of Wilemon-Sullivan's lies. They say he loved her so much he would have done anything to help her feel better. Investigator Doug Durkan read text message evidence from Wilemon-Sullivan. “’Guess I just wanted to die in your arms because that's the only peace I know or thought.’”
Stubbendieck will serve five days in jail starting Monday. He will also be required to serve five days on the anniversary of Wilemon-Sullivan's death until he has served his 25-day sentence.