ALGONQUIN, Ill. – An Algonquin woman was given a 55-year prison sentence Wednesday for the 2020 fatal stabbing of an elderly couple she lived with. Arin Fox, 42, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murder of 69-year-old Noreen S. Gilard. Fox was charged with murdering Noreen and her husband, 73-year-old Leonard J. Gilard, the parents of the man she was dating at the time.

During her sentencing, it was revealed that Fox lived with the couple as their caretaker while their son was in the McHenry County jail. The bodies of Noreen and Leonard were found stabbed to death in their home. Leonard had been stabbed more than 50 times.

Fox fled to Colorado in the Gilards’ vehicle after the murders. She was found in a behavioral health hospital, where she admitted to experiencing homicidal ideations and auditory commands.

A licensed clinical psychologist detailed Fox’s long history of mental illness, which began in her adolescence. She had been released from a treatment facility and was taking nearly 10 medications, including those for anti-depression and anti-psychosis.

The doctor testified that a series of traumatic events and a lack of proper supervision led to a psychotic break in Fox, causing her to give in to violent impulses. Fox’s attorney acknowledged the severity of the crime but argued that she needed structure and treatment for her mental illness while in prison.

In exchange for her guilty plea, three additional murder counts and other charges were dismissed. Fox will have to serve 100% of her 55-year sentence and will receive credit for the 1,122 days she already spent in the county jail.