A Chicago man who viciously stabbed a romantic partner while she was staying at a Naperville hotel has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.
Willie Tidwell, 53, was given the term Monday by DuPage County Judge Margaret O’Connell after pleading guilty in December 2025 to one count of attempted first-degree murder, a class X felony, a news release said.
According to prosecutors, Tidwell had been romantically involved with the woman in September 2022 when he went to her hotel room at the Extended Stay in Naperville, 1827 Centre Point Circle, and confronted her about ignoring his calls and blocking his phone number.
The fight escalated, with Tidwell repeatedly hitting the victim before pulling out a knife and stabbing her 11 times in the stomach, neck and chest, the release said.
The woman survived the attack and was able to call 911. Tidwell was arrested in Calumet City on Sept. 30, 2022, nearly three weeks after the incident, and has been held in the DuPage County jail since then, the release said.
“The brutal attack of an innocent woman who was left for dead alone in a hotel room, beaten and stabbed multiple times, is a stark reminder that domestic violence continues to plague society,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
“The survivor of this horrendous attack will carry physical and emotional scars with her for the rest of her life and I wish her strength as she copes with the aftermath of what Mr. Tidwell has done to her.”
Under state law, Tidwell must serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole, the release said.