Haine announces 55-year sentence for woman convicted of murder in shooting of ex-boyfriend

Edwardsville, IL — Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine announced today that a Granite City woman has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for the murder of an ex-boyfriend.

Tara A. Anderson, 40, received the sentence Tuesday. Circuit Judge Amy Maher imposed the sentence.

A jury in May found Anderson guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Phillip Armstrong, 39. Armstrong was shot Sept. 24, 2023, outside Anderson's home in the 1400 block of Madison Avenue in Granite City.

“Violence and shootings have no place in our community, and we will continue to use all tools available under the law to bring those responsible for such devastation to justice. Here, the evidence was clear that Tara Anderson shot and killed Phillip Armstrong, the jury agreed and convicted her of murder, and now today's sentence holds her accountable for her crime,” Haine said. “No sentence can undo the loss suffered by Phillip's family, but we hope it provides some measure of justice.”

Evidence and testimony presented at trial by Assistant State's Attorney Morgan Hudson, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant State's Attorney Lauren Maricle, Chief of the Violent Crimes Division, showed that Armstrong had gone to Anderson's residence, at her request, to retrieve a vehicle. Anderson exited the residence and confronted Armstrong, who was trying to load the vehicle onto a trailer.

Anderson went back into her home, then came out with a .45-caliber handgun and fired a shot toward Armstrong, who was about 100 feet away. The bullet went through a wooden privacy fence and struck Armstrong.

At Tuesday's sentencing hearing, Hudson urged the judge to send a clear message that resorting to gun violence in a moment of anger is unacceptable and carries serious consequences.

“This is real life. It's not a video game,” Hudson argued. “Somewhere along the way, people have lost sight of how dangerous guns are.”

Hudson noted that Anderson had fired a gun at Armstrong on a previous occasion and once fired a gun at a different ex-boyfriend.

At trial, Anderson argued that she was only firing a “warning shot.”

The case was investigated by Granite City Police.

“This case required a thorough investigation and a commitment to following the evidence wherever it led,” Haine said. “I commend the Granite City Police Department, the investigators and our prosecution team for their excellent work in establishing the facts of this case and presenting them to the jury.”

Armstrong's 13-year-old daughter gave a victim-impact statement, saying every milestone she reaches in her life is now a reminder of her father's murder.

“It felt like my whole world had been taken away from me, and I didn't know how I was supposed to keep going without my Dad,” the daughter said.