An Eldorado man has been sentenced to 54 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in a case that has been going through the Franklin County Courts. Heath M. Dunning was convicted in March of 2023 of first degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. Following his 54 years of prison time, Dunning will be required to serve 3 years of mandatory supervised release.
The incident happened in March of 2021 when Dunning was driving on Illinois 149 to the east of West Frankfort near new lake road. Dunning stabbed Dennis Lance Martin through the heart, killing him within moments of the stabbing.