A man from Illinois with a past involving sex offenses against underage individuals has been sentenced to over 50 years in prison following his guilty plea for the murder of a 15-year-old girl.

Timothy Doll, aged 32, expressed remorse in court, acknowledging that he “deserves every year I am given” during his sentencing on Thursday. Doll had earlier admitted to the first-degree murder of 15-year-old Gracie Sasso-Cleveland, whom he smothered and disposed of in a dumpster in May 2023. At the time Gracie was killed, Doll was a registered sex offender. In court, he admitted being aware that he was in an inappropriate relationship with the young girl.

Gracie was last seen by her relatives on May 4, 2023, and was reported missing two days later. Her remains were discovered on May 7, 2023. As reported by Shaw Local, Doll and Gracie were involved in a dispute on the night of May 4, 2023, leading him to smother her with a pillow. He then undressed her and transported her body in a laundry basket to discard it in a nearby dumpster.

The DeKalb County Coroner”s Office determined that Gracie’s official manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was asphyxiation.

Reports from Law&Crime indicate that police investigated Gracie’s cellphone records, which showed her presence at Doll’s address on May 4, 2023. After securing and executing several search warrants, authorities gathered evidence that resulted in Doll’s apprehension on the same day Gracie’s body was found. He faced murder charges the following day.

Judge Philip Montgomery criticized Doll, stating he “treated her no better than you would an ordinary sack of trash. But she was just not a sack of trash for you to throw away. She was a young woman with dreams and aspirations.” He further remarked, “You stole her innocence. And ultimately, you stole her life.”

Montgomery sentenced Doll to a 52-year prison term, allowing for time already served. Prosecutors had recommended the full 60 years; however, Doll’s public defender advocated for a 30-year sentence, citing his challenging upbringing and mental health issues.

Doll had previously been convicted of aggravated sexual abuse in 2020 in a case involving a 14-year-old girl. He completed a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence and 30 months of probation. He was ordered to register as a sex offender and stay away from minors. According to Shaw Local, lead prosecutor Scott Schwertley told the court, “This defendant preys on young teenage girls, abusing them. And no law or court orders have ever stopped him.”