Illinois Man Who Killed Mother and Family Dog with Hammer Sentenced to Nearly 30 Years By Christina Coulter

An Illinois man who killed his mother and the family dog with a hammer has been sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison.

Cody Sales, 30, of Plattville, was sentenced on Jan. 26 to 29 years for first-degree murder and an additional year for aggravated animal cruelty, with the sentences to be served consecutively, Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis wrote in a press release. Under Illinois law, Sales must serve 100 percent of the murder sentence.

Sales was previously found guilty following a three-day jury trial in November 2025. Weis said evidence presented at trial showed Sales killed his mother, Nancy Sales, with a hammer inside their home and also killed the family dog. Sales later admitted to law enforcement that he killed his mother, though the defense raised insanity during trial.

The jury ultimately found Sales was not insane at the time of the killing but did suffer from a mental illness. As a result, Sales was found guilty but mentally ill and will be required to receive mental health treatment while incarcerated, Weis said.

Prosecutors urged the court to consider the violent nature of the crime and the risk Sales posed to the public. Weis said evidence was also presented showing Sales had previously refused mental health treatment and medication. After evaluating all of the evidence, the court concluded a total sentence of 30 years was appropriate under Illinois law.

Authorities were originally called to the home for a welfare check, where Nancy Sales and her dog were found dead, according to FOX 32 Chicago, Shaw Local and Joliet Patch.

In the press release, Weis said he hopes the sentence and the conclusion of the case bring some semblance of justice to the victim’s family, which he described as having been “torn apart” by Sales’ “abhorrent” actions.