Man who killed his girlfriend' mother two years ago set to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

A 41-year-old man in Illinois is set to spend the rest of his life behind bars for the gruesome killing of his girlfriend's mother two years ago.

Michael E. Sloan Jr. was sentenced to 50 years in a state correctional facility by Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Neil T. Schroeder on Monday as reported by Law and Crime on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

This follows the brutal act of dousing the 69-year-old woman, Susanne Tomlinson, and her house in gasoline, setting the home ablaze, and watching as she burned alive.

In January, Sloan entered an open plea agreement, pleading guilty to one count of first-degree murder in Susan Tomlinson’s death.

As per state law, Sloan will be required to serve the entirety of his prison term with no chance for parole, making him eligible for release at the age of 91.

Throughout the legal proceedings, prosecutors had consistently urged Judge Schroeder to impose the maximum sentence on Sloan.

This call for the harshest penalty continued on Monday.

Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine stated after Monday’s sentencing hearing, “This sentence, which is effectively a life sentence, brings accountability for the heinous and cruel actions committed by the defendant against an innocent life.”

“This sentence reflects the gravity of the crime, the impact it had on the victim’s family, and the unwavering commitment of the State’s Attorney’s Office to protect the innocent.”

“Our prayer is that this sentence helps the victim’s family navigate the difficult path of healing after their profound loss.

According to a news release, Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Maricle, head of the Violent Crimes Unit for the State’s Attorney’s Office, informed the court that Sloan initially attempted to burn his then-girlfriend, Courtney Tomlinson, alive, but she managed to escape.

 Maricle stated that Sloan then "decided to hurt her in another way," which he achieved by ultimately "burning Susanne Tomlinson alive."

As previously reported by Law&Crime, officers from the Troy Police Department responded to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance at the duplex where Sloan and Courtney Tomlinson resided in September 2022, in a suburban area approximately four hours south of Chicago.

Before setting the fire, Sloan allegedly instructed Courtney to "bind herself with zip-ties on her wrists" and covered her with gasoline while "holding a knife to her throat and stating that he was going to kill her."

“He grabbed the gas can, opened up my bathroom door and threw it in my face,” Courtney said in a 2022 interview.

“I couldn’t see. I was rinsing out my eyes. I have chemical burns on my chest. He had the lighter lit, but he couldn’t throw it on me for some reason. I was doused in gasoline.”

She reiterated those moments while delivering an emotional victim impact statement on Monday, during which she referred to Sloan as "an absolute monster," as reported by the Bellville News-Democrat.

“I’ll never forget the words you said that day: ‘B—-, I’m going to kill you. How could you be so hateful? Did you ever love me?” she reportedly said.

“How would you feel if somebody did that to your mother?”

Courtney Tomlinson also reportedly told the court that she has recurring nightmares of her mother shrieking in pain as Sloan "burned her alive."

Courtney eventually managed to free herself from her restraints and seek refuge in a neighbor’s home, where she instructed them to call 911.

Meanwhile, Sloan was walking to Courtney’s mother’s home — just a few houses down from their duplex — holding the can of gasoline.

Prosecutors stated that "moments after" police arrived on the scene, a "large fire erupted" at Susanne’s home while she was still inside.

Flames and heavy smoke quickly engulfed the residence, impeding first responders' attempts to enter.

Courtney Tomlinson claimed she witnessed Sloan set the deadly blaze and asserted that he also attempted to light himself on fire.

“He set her on fire. He tortured her, and then, he doused himself,” she said.

Firefighters successfully extracted Sloan from the blaze, and he was taken to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment. He stayed in the hospital for several weeks before being booked into jail.

According to the release, an autopsy established that Susanne's cause of death was smoke inhalation and burn injuries.

Given the opportunity to speak in court, Sloan reportedly apologized for his actions.

"I caused the death of another person," he said, as reported by the News-Democrat. "I know it was wrong. I wish I could go back in time and change what happened, but I can't."