Norma J. Caraker

A man was charged Thursday with murder in the strangulation of his mother in Troy, Illinois. Neil A. Howard, 44, was being held Friday morning in lieu of $3 million bail. Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine filed charges of first-degree murder against Howard. Howard's mother, Norma J. Caraker, was found dead early Wednesday in her home in the 600 block of Lower Marine Road. Police had been called about 1:30 a.m. to check on the welfare of a resident. Caraker was the widow of Charles “Tom” Caraker Sr., a former mayor of Troy who died in 2018.