Man sentenced for fatally beating wheelchair-bound victim because he thought he was 'pretending'

GRANITE CITY, Ill. (TCD) -- A 30-year-old man was recently sentenced to 40 years in prison for the 2022 fatal beating of a victim in a wheelchair.

On Aug. 7, 2022, Blake Streeb attacked 25-year-old Michael Reay inside a home on Miracle Avenue, and he suffered severe head injuries as a result, the Madison County State's Attorney's Office said. Reay was transported to a hospital in St. Louis, where he died just days later.

During an interview, Streeb admitted to using methamphetamine at the time of the attack, and he was "angry after suspecting that Reay, who used a wheelchair, was pretending to need his wheelchair."

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Reay was blind.

On Friday, March 3, the State's Attorney's Office announced that Streeb was sentenced to 40 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder, and he was ordered to serve the entire prison sentence.

State's Attorney Thomas Haine said, "This was a ruthless, unprovoked attack that was fueled by drugs and inflicted upon a victim who was nearly incapable of defending himself.

Haine added, "This conviction and sentence ensure that the public will be safe from this perpetrator’s violence. The family and loved ones of Michael have experienced unimaginable suffering, but we hope the resolution of this case allows them to have some closure."

MORE:

• Haine announces murder conviction, 40-year prison term in fatal beating - Madison County State's Attorney's Office
• Man gets 40 years for beating Granite City man in a wheelchair to death - St. Louis Post-Dispatch