Katrina Giles of Moweaqua Death, Obituary: Woman Convicted in 2011 Double Homicide Dies Months After Prison Release Due to Severe Health Issues, Community Remembers Victims Cindy and Lindsey Eaton
Katrina Giles, a 33-year-old woman from Moweaqua, Illinois, passed away on October 22, 2023, just two months after being released from prison due to severe health issues. Giles had been convicted for her involvement in a horrific double homicide that left a deep mark on her community.
In 2015, Katrina was sentenced to 50 years in prison for her role in a violent attack orchestrated by her brother, Timothy Giles, a U.S. Marine. The incident occurred on August 5, 2011, when Timothy targeted the Harristown, Illinois, home of Cindanett “Cindy” Eaton, 57, during a custody dispute.
The attack resulted in the deaths of Cindy and her daughter, Lindsey J. Eaton, 23. Although Timothy aimed primarily at Casey Eaton, Cindy’s other daughter and the mother of his child, Casey survived despite sustaining two gunshot wounds and over 40 stab wounds.
Katrina played a crucial role in the crime, helping to plan the attack and providing logistical support, including purchasing prepaid cell phones used to facilitate the plot. She later created a false alibi for her brother by sending messages from Centralia, Illinois, pretending to be him.
Recorded jail calls revealed her awareness of the violent intentions behind the attack, as she referred to it as a plan “to kill the people in the house.” Katrina was initially convicted of murder and sentenced to 50 years.
However, after an appeal, the 4th District Appellate Court found that she had received “ineffective assistance of counsel.” In January 2023, a plea deal was reached that reduced her sentence to 20 years, with an additional 15 years for the use of a firearm in the crimes.
Following the reduction, Katrina remained incarcerated until her health deteriorated. She was granted a compassionate medical furlough and released on August 19, 2023, allowing her to spend her final days outside prison walls.
The Illinois Department of Corrections facilitated her release based on medical necessity. Katrina passed away in October 2023, bringing a close to a case that profoundly affected her community.
Her release had stirred mixed emotions, as residents continued to grapple with the tragic loss of Cindy and Lindsey Eaton. Timothy Giles, who confessed to the murders and attempted murder of Casey Eaton, is serving a life sentence without parole at the Illinois River Correctional Center.
The violent events of 2011 resulted in the tragic deaths of Cindy and Lindsey Eaton and nearly took the life of Casey. Katrina Giles’ involvement in this brutal crime ultimately shaped her fate, leading to her imprisonment and early release due to health concerns.
Her death, only months after her release, concludes a heartbreaking chapter marked by betrayal and loss within a family and a small Illinois community.
