Joliet Police Solving A High Rate Of Murders

JOLIET, IL — For the second year in a row, the Joliet Police Department's detectives have had a high rate of success when it comes to solving the city's most heinous crime — murder. Of the nine murders heading into the final week of November, Joliet police detectives have made an arrest in seven of the homicides, a clearance rate of 78 percent, which is well above the national average.

A number of this year's homicides took several days to several months before an arrest was made. In the January death of 24-year-old mother Maya Smith, who was shot in the face seven times inside her parked car in a west side alley, her killer, Jermaine Mandley, tried to flee town and was captured within days near the Hammond casino.

In the June daytime street killing of Latrel Smith-Vaden, two teenagers were later captured, one in South Bend, Indiana and the other made it all the way to Tijuana, Mexico, before the United States and Mexican authorities nabbed him for Joliet police officials.

One summer murder defendant, Demetrius Glover, even jumped into the dirty waters of downtown Joliet's canal as he was trying to get away from Joliet police, according to police. He was retrived from the water and brought to shore by the Joliet Fire Department dive team and he remains in the Will County Jail awaiting his murder trial. Glover is charged in the beating death of 23-year-old Taylor Guerra.

This week, Joliet Patch reached out to Joliet Police spokesman Dwayne English, asking whether his department was pleased by its 78 percent clearance rate for 2023 homicides.

In 2022, Evans' first year overseeing the Joliet police, his agency attained a clearance rate of 57 percent in its homicides, making arrests in four of seven killings.

This year, seven of the nine homicides have resulted in arrests, an even higher percentage of solvability.

"Homicides represent one of the most difficult and fluid investigations in law enforcement," English wrote Joliet Patch on Tuesday morning. "Joliet Police Department’s high homicide closure rate over the past year is a result of our detective’s meticulous work and cooperation from the Joliet community.

"While our department is prideful in this high closure rate, the men and women of our investigations division recognizes the lingering presence of the homicide cases that remain open and this strengthens our resolve to continue to vigorously investigate open homicide cases to bring closure not only to a victim’s family, but also to our community."

Here's a snapshot of the city of Joliet's nine homicides during 2023. The first two cases are the crimes that have remained unsolved.

UNSOLVED HOMICIDE No. 1

Victim: Miguel Mendoza, age 23

When: July 19, 100 block of Baker Avenue on a Wednesday afternoon

Incident summary: Officers responded to Second Avenue and Baker Avenue where several gunshots were fired. An SUV had struck a parked vehicle in the 100 block of Baker Avenue. Inside the SUV, 23-year-old Miguel Mendoza was unresponsive in the driver's seat. He had gunshot wounds to the chest and arm. Joliet police said they later learned that a 16-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the leg was taken to the Silver Cross Hospital by private vehicle.

"It is believed the juvenile’s gunshot injury may be related to this shooting; however, this is still under investigation," Joliet police announced at the time.

Nearly five months later, no arrests have been made in connection with Mendoza's death. This week, Patch asked the police spokesman if it ever determined if the 16-year-old was the killer or if the 16-year-old was a second victim and the shooter still remains at large?

"This case is still under investigation, so I cannot provide further information about it. No one has been arrested," English responded.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet's 6th Murder Victim In 2023 Identified By Coroner

UNSOLVED HOMICIDE No. 2

At the time Joliet Patch covered this shooting case, it was not a homicide.

Victim: Francisco Ramirez Sr., age 45.

When: Aug. 4, 200 block of Herkimer Street.

Incident Summary: Around 11:45 p.m., officers found two men near an apartment building driveway on Herkimer Street, both with apparent head injuries. The eventual homicide victim, Ramirez, suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The other injured person, now known to be 33-year-old Juan Cisneros-Ortiz of Joliet, suffered serious injuries to his head, but he was not shot.

"It is believed that Cisneros and the 45-year-old shooting victim had become involved in an argument in the rear of the apartment building, at which time Cisneros retrieved a handgun from his apartment and then shot the victim," English announced back in August. "It is believed the son of the victim intervened and disarmed Cisneros."

The handgun was recovered by Joliet police. Ramirez, the shooting victim, was taken to a local hospital by the Joliet Fire Department with life-threatening injuries. This week, English said that Ramirez died five days later, on Aug. 5. Meanwhile, Cisneros was later airlifted to the University of Chicago hospital as a result of suffering serious head injuries during the violent confrontation.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Victim Fights For Life, Shooter Tries To Stay Alive: Police

Below are the Joliet Police Department's seven different homicides that were cleared in 2023 with an arrest:

Victim: Maya Smith, age 24

When: Jan. 7 in an alley in the 1200 block of Clement Street

Arrest Made: Jermaine Mandley, age 47,

Incident Summary: Mandley, a Bolingbrook barber, unloaded his pistol into the body of his girlfriend Maya Smith, while her 2-year-old child was strapped in a car seat in an alley on Joliet's west side. During his jury trial in August, Mandley was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of child endangerment. In November, Judge Dave Carlson sentenced Mandley to life in prison.

“Jermaine Mandley is evil incarnate," Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow announced after sentencing. "He ruthlessly fired at least 7 shots at Maya Smith with her infant daughter just inches away. The sadistic executioner was caught on video saying, ‘killed that bitch’ and ‘she dead – call that bitch now.’ He has repeatedly demonstrated throughout his extensive criminal history an utter lack of respect for the sanctity of human life."

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Killer Of Joliet Mom Will Never Get Out Of Prison: Judge Carlson

Victim: Matthew Woodfork, age 50

When: March 27, house in the 700 block of Fairlane Drive.

Arrest Made: Jakeem Williams, age 32

Incident Summary: Prosecutors said an altercation between Williams and his mother preceding the deadly shooting involved "an argument over his contribution to living in the house." Williams was at the top of his stairs with his mother and that's when his other parent, Woodfork, intervened, the prosecutor said. Williams pulled out a gun and shot Woodfork several times, and the shooting was witnessed by several children, according to Assistant State's Attorney Chris Koch. Joliet officers found the 50-year-old shooting victim in his open garage. Later that night, Jakeem Williams was taken into custody after being stopped by Will County Sheriff's deputies and Elwood police officers at Route 53 and Hoff Road near Elwood.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Killer Was Not Contributing To Mother's House: Prosecutor

Victim: Antoine Shopshire, age 16

When: May 30 in the 400 block of South Joliet Street near a playground

Arrest Made: Jaquan Blalock, age 17.

Incident summary: On Nov. 3, Joliet's Police Department revealed that 17-year-old Markham resident Jaquan Blalock was captured and charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the May 30 killing of Joliet 16-year-old Antoine Shopshire. Shopshire was gunned down in the street in the 400 block of South Joliet Street, near McDonough Street, on Joliet's southeast side. In the days after the killing, on June 2, 150 people attended a balloon release and prayer vigil in memory of the murder victim, including Joliet's new Mayor Terry D'Arcy.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Murder Solved With 17-Year-Old's Arrest: Chief Evans

Victim: Taylor Guerra, age 23, a former Oswego resident.

When: June 3-6, in the 1000 block of Joliet's Kelly Avenue.

Arrest Made: Demetrius Glover, age 31

Incident Summary: Taylor Guerra was found unconscious on June 3 by her family. They brought her to Silver Cross Hospital, where she died on June 6. As for Glover, the man accused of beating her to death, the long-time Joliet criminal was retrieved by the Joliet Fire Deartment from the dirty waters of the Des Plaines River canal after running away from the Joliet police, authorities have said. Glover's first-degree murder charges indicate he hit Guerra on the head with an object and punched her body.

According to GoFundMe, "Taylor Guerra was taken off life support and passed away with her parents at her side. Without going into too many details due to pending legal reasons, she is a victim of domestic abuse. All funds donate will be going to Jerry and Lisa Guerra to help in the cost of raising Taylor's 3 beautiful children."

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Slain Joliet Woman 'Victim Of Domestic Abuse': GoFundMe

Victim: Latrel Smith-Vaden, age 20

When: June 6 in the 600 block of East Benton Street.

Arrests Made: Emilio Aldape, 18, and Nathan Melchor, age 17.

Incident Summary: At 10:18 a.m. on June 6, Joliet police responded to the 600 block of East Benton Street for shots fired. Officers found the 20-year-old victim in the street with a gunshot wound to his head. He was pronounced dead at Silver Cross Hospital. Joliet police later made two arrests in the slaying. First, on July 5, 18-year-old Emilio Aldape was captured in South Bend, Indiana. Then, on Aug. 30, Mexican authorities working with the U.S. Marshals Service captured co-defendant Nathan Melchor, age 17, in Tijuana, Mexico.

Related Joliet Patch coverage: Joliet Teenage Killer Captured In Tijuana Mexico: Police

Victim: Cynthia Pinnick, age 58

When Aug. 25, 200 block of Hunter Avenue in the St. Pat's Area

Arrest Made: Timothy Thurmond, age 47

Incident Summary: On Sept. 1, Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins set bail at $5 million for Joliet first-degree murder defendant Timothy Thurmond after hearing that Thurmond fatally stabbed Joliet resident Cynthia Pinnick 14 times with two different knives after the handle of his first knife broke, according to high-ranking Will County prosecutor Peter Wilkes.

According to Wilkes, Thurmond killed her on August 25 in her apartment in the 200 block of Hunter Avenue because she continued to reject his sexual advances. Wilkes said Thurmond had even offered to pay her for sex, but she refused. Family members found Pinnick's decomposed body a week after her death.

Related Joliet Patch coverage: 14 Stab Wounds, Joliet Woman's Corpse Sexually Abused: Prosecutor

Victim: Michael Pappas, age 61

When: Nov. 17 at Salem Village nursing home and rehabilitation center on Rowell Avenue.

Arrest made: William "Bill" Paschall, age 71

Incident Summary: After punching Salem Village resident Michael Pappas in the head at least four or five times in their sixth-floor laundry room, William Paschall grabbed the victim's walker and began to strike him in the head and his body, according to Peter Wilkes of the Will County's Attorney's Office. The brutal attack happened around 9 p.m., and Pappas was pronounced dead at the Salem Village by the Will County Coroner's staff. A former New Lenox resident, Paschall has remained in the Will County Jail since his Nov. 18 arrest.

"The victim was described as a quiet man who was very calm and respectful to staff," Wilkes informed the judge. "The defendant was described by staff as a 'time bomb' and routinely argued with other residents in the home."

Related Joliet Patch coverage: Feces On Laundry Machine Led To Joliet Murder: Prosecutor

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