Illinois Woman, 29, Sentenced to 12 Years for Attempted Murder in ‘Violent’ Wendy’s Stabbing
A 29-year-old Illinois woman was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree murder in a 2025 stabbing that severely injured her former Wendy’s co-worker, authorities said.
Tichina Marshall entered the plea as part of a deal with Vermilion County prosecutors, the state’s attorney’s office announced Sept. 24. The case stemmed from an attack at a Wendy’s in Danville, a central Illinois city near the Indiana border, on May 26, 2025.
Police were called to the restaurant that day for a reported stabbing. Officers found the victim on the floor, bleeding heavily and nearly unconscious after being stabbed in the head, according to the state’s attorney’s office.
Investigators later determined the victim had been talking with the restaurant manager in an office when Marshall walked in holding a knife. Authorities said Marshall told the victim, “I am going to kill you,” then stabbed her at least three times — twice in the face and once on top of the head.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, suffered a 3-centimeter-deep stab wound to her head and a fractured skull, officials said.
Marshall and the victim had worked together at the Wendy’s, and authorities said Marshall had threatened to kill her about a month before the attack. Surveillance video captured the incident, and Marshall was arrested.
“I would like to thank the victim for cooperating with our office throughout the criminal justice process,” Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy said in a news release. “While no sentence can undo the lasting effects caused by this defendant, this prison sentence reflects the violent nature of this attack and the devastating injuries suffered by the victim.”
Court records previously reviewed by local outlet WCIA showed Marshall had been scheduled to stand trial starting Oct. 13 on charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The aggravated battery count was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
At sentencing, Illinois Judge Karen Wall said Marshall must serve 85% of her 12-year term, followed by three years of mandatory supervised release.
The case underscores the lasting toll of workplace violence and the warning signs that can precede it. Prosecutors publicly thanked the victim for cooperating, while Lacy said the sentence was meant to reflect the violence of the attack and the injuries the victim suffered.
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