Man Accused Of Killing Grandmother, One Day After Prison Release

CHICAGO (CBS) -- One day after he was paroled from prison, a Joliet man was back in jail, charged with killing his 90-year-old grandmother.

Darel C. Agerton, 38, is accused of killing Veronica Schick on Nov. 30.

On Thursday afternoon, Agerton requested a public defender when he appeared in Will County court in Joliet.

Agerton had served a prison term for aggravated drunk driving.

Schick's body was found at the bottom of a set of stairs in her home. An autopsy found she had been beaten and strangled.

She was described as a very independent woman who served in the Pacific as a mechanic in World War II.

Agerton is being held in jail on a $5 million bond.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Dave Berner Reports