Man sentenced to 55 years in Rockford murder of McHenry County deputy

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WLS) -- Floyd Brown is 43 years old, and with a long criminal record, has already spent much of his life behind bars.

The Springfield man has now been sentenced to 55 more years in prison for the second-degree murder of McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Keltner.

Prosecutors said Brown fired a gun from inside a Rockford hotel room, killing Keltner. Keltner was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a warrant for Brown, who was hiding at the hotel, police said.

Brown got away by jumping out of a third-floor window, and then fled the scene in a Mercury Grand Marquis. He was later spotted traveling over 100 miles per hour south on Interstate 55 while pointing a weapon out of his window at the police in pursuit.

The vehicle spun out near mile marker 133, between Bloomington and Springfield. Brown spent several hours barricaded inside his vehicle on I-55 before police set off flash-bangs near his car. He then surrendered to Illinois State Police.

A woman was also found shot in the hotel room after Brown fled, according to police.

Keltner had served as a deputy for almost 13 years and had served on the fugitive task force for five years.

"For nearly three years, we have patiently waited for the day that Deputy Jacob Keltner's killer would be held accountable for the crimes he committed. Today, Deputy Keltner's killer was convicted on all seven charges," McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim said in a statement following the verdict. "We also realized that no verdict can bring Jake back, and justice doesn't always appear how we picture. But, we are hopeful that it will allow the Keltner family the chance to close a chapter in their lives and take the next steps in healing."

Keltner lived in a quiet Crystal Lake subdivision. He was married with two young children, and was a graduate of Western Illinois University. He also came from a family of officers; his father and brother both work in DuPage County law enforcement.

"Jake is, and will always be, a hero," Sheriff Prim added.

The government asked for life in prison for Brown.

Keltner's widow, Becki, said she waited 1,271 days to give her victim's impact statement to the court.

"Floyd Brown stole my entire life from me. My kids need their dad. Floyd Brown needs to spend every day of the rest of his life thinking about what he's done," she said.

A jury convicted Brown of second-degree murder in Keltner's killing, as well as attempted murder for three of the other officers who responded that day. Keltner's father, Howard, also spoke to the court, saying, "my greatest fear is Jake's sons will have only faded memories of their dad. There is no way to describe the pain he has caused."

Brown's sister offered Condolences to the Keltner family. But, she also told the judge their family had a very difficult upbringing, and her brother was always her protector.

Brown must serve a mandatory 85% of the federal sentence, meaning that he will be 90 years old before he could be released. He still faces sentencing for burglary convictions downstate as well.