54-year-old man lured teenage girl to his garage promising he would sell her Disney-themed cups, then neighbors heard distressing screams coming from inside

A 54-year-old man is now a convicted murderer following a tragic incident involving 17-year-old girl.

The teenage girl was lured to his home under the pretense of obtaining a Disney-themed cup, only to be strangled to death by Arthur, an act that horrified local residents who reported hearing her desperate cries.

According to reports, Arthur, 53 at the time of the crime in August 2019, has been deemed guilty of first-degree murder of young Adara. The teenager, lured by the prospect of acquiring Disney memorabilia, fell victim to a gruesome fate in Arthur’s home, where she believed a simple garage sale was to take place.

Mike, Assistant State’s Attorney in Iroquois County, explained that Sheldon is a “very small town” popular for weekend garage sales. Arthur and his wife were participating in this local tradition, attracting customers with various items, among which Adara discovered a “Pocahontas” cup set. Intrigued by potential additional Disney collectibles, Adara arranged to return to Arthur’s residence the following day, according to Mike.

The subsequent visit transpired in Arthur’s wife’s absence, who was at a high school reunion. In this lone encounter, Arthur ensnared the teenager, ending her life with a nylon cord.

Two witnesses passing Arthur’s house reported hearing Adara’s distressing pleas of “Stop,” “Let me go,” and “I won’t call the police.” Reacting to these alarming cries, a neighbor alerted law enforcement, who arrived to find Arthur confessing his crime: “There’s a girl inside, and I strangled her.”

Prosecutor Mike underscored the sexual undertones of the crime, linking them to an inappropriate conversation Arthur had with Adara’s boyfriend a day before the incident. While Arthur did not sexually assault Adara, Mike asserted that the crime was likely fueled by sexual motives that Adara rejected.

This horrific event marked a severe disruption of peace for the local community, which had not experienced such brutality since 2016. Local resident Ray expressed surprise to news sources, recalling Arthur as “just a nice easygoing fellow.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Mike confessed to People magazine that this murder case was one of the most heinous he had ever encountered, saying: “This is one of the worst murder cases I have ever seen.”

An online obituary celebrated Adara’s joyful spirit, noting her love for reading, fishing, and school. In response to her devastating loss in 2019, Milford Area Public School released a statement expressing their grief and announcing counseling services for affected students.

Adara’s murder sent shockwaves through the small community, eliciting vehement reactions on social media. One such reaction came from Facebook user Lisa K. Lynch Steeples, who expressed her deep anger and sorrow, while another user, Kristina Cook Hull, empathized with the unimaginable heartbreak the family must be enduring.