Minooka Man Pleads Guilty To Killing Ex-Con Inside His House

JOLIET, IL — The first-degree murder trial of Minooka resident James "Jim" Hess was to begin last week at the Will County Courthouse, but that didn't happen. Instead, the 67-year-old defendant and the Office of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow have worked out a plea agreement to bring the homicide case to a resolution.

Hess has agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder. Hess takes responsibility for shooting his girlfriend's son Nathan Hofkamp. The 29-year-old was killed on the same day he was released from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

"The facts did involve Mr. Hess being in his own home legally possessing a firearm, which we believe the victim was attempting to disarm Mr. Hess," explained Hess's criminal defense attorney Jeff Tomczak of Tomczak Law Group. "The plea is a consequence of my client's desire to avoid putting the family through the trauma of a criminal trial."

On April 14, 2017, there was a welcome home party for Nathan Hofkamp, celebrating his release from a downstate Illinois prison. Hess, court records show, grew angry with the late night racket and fired a few warning shots inside his own house.

"James wanted to go to sleep," Kathy Hofkamp wrote the court in 2017. "We were all drinking. My son Nathan said he will take some beers in the back with us and Jim disappeared downstairs and he shot off three shots down in the basement and then he came up and aimed the gun at all three of us and said, 'Now, who's not going to sleep?'

"My son Nathan went around the wall to get the gun away from Jim and Jim shot him," the victim's mother wrote the court.

The shooting happened on North Canal Road in Minooka. Hess spent a grand total of four days in the Will County Jail after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He posted 10 percent of his $1 million bail on April 18, 2017. He's remained free ever since.

Because he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, the sentencing judge will have a wide latitude in terms of punishment. The sentencing range is between four years and 20 years of imprisonment. However, the judge can also place Hess on probation.

Tomczak told Patch that his client was a longtime boilermaker and a member of the boilermaker's union. "Many of his (union) brothers want to speak on his behalf at the sentencing," Tomczak said.

On Tuesday, Patch asked Tomczak if he was pleased with the outcome.

His client ends up with a second-degree murder conviction on his permanent record.

"Anytime a first-degree murder charge is dismissed and replaced with a probationary offense, it is a good day for the defense," Tomczak said.

Sentencing at the Will County Courthouse will be on June 26 in Courtroom 405.