April Drive-By, Oct. Joliet Homicide, January SUV Forfeiture

JOLIET, IL — On Oct. 17, 24-year-old convicted Joliet cocaine dealer Dearis Evans was slain in the 800 block of Cora Street and his killer escaped before the squad cars arrived. However, a new civil forfeiture case at Will County's Courthouse indicates Joliet Police have recovered physical evidence pointing to a possible murder suspect.

The targets of Monday's sports utility vehicle forfeiture complaint are 30-year-old Terrell Fanniel, who has a Plainfield mailing address, and the mother of his children, Kaneika Moore of Bolingbrook, court papers show.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office now wants to seize their 2017 Dodge Durango in connection with a Joliet drive-by shooting that happened April 28 at South Chicago Street and Doris Avenue.

More than eight months ago, the Dodge Durango was chasing after a black sedan and one of the occupants inside the Durango fired a dozen gunshots, the forfeiture complaint shows.

A Joliet Police officer tried to pursue the Dodge Durango, but the driver fled by getting on I-80, getting off at Larkin Avenue, then turning off West Jefferson Street onto Woodlawn Avenue, the forfeiture shows. Police called off the chase for safety reasons.

Meanwhile, back on the city's southeast side, Joliet officers recovered 12 spent shell casings from the drive-by shooting. Six casings were from a 9mm Winchester Luger and six were .40 caliber Smith & Wesson ammunition, court documents show.

Fast forward to the night of Oct. 17.

Evans, 24, was gunned down on Joliet's Cora Street. His killer got away.

Then, on Nov. 19, Joliet Police and the Joliet Metropolitan Area Narcotics Squad raided Fanniel's residence in the 2100 block of Willow Lake Drive in Wesmere Lakes. Monday's forfeiture complaint reveals that evidence related to the Evans slaying was found during the raid.

"It should be noted that on October 17, 2019, an individual by the name of Dearis Evans was murdered in the 800 block of Cora in Joliet and while Joliet Police were processing the scene, they located 9mm shell casings. These shell casings were checked in (the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network) and found to be related to this case," the vehicle forfeiture complaint involving Terrell Fanniel states. "Also located during the (Nov. 19) search was a 9mm magazine for a handgun, but no handgun was found."

In the days following the Nov. 19 raid, Joliet police learned that the drug task force planned to raid a Romeoville house in the 700 block of Belmont Drive related to the Evans homicide. A black Taurus 9mm PT809 without a serial number as well as 14 live rounds of ammunition were seized from a shoe box in the suspect's bedroom, court records show.

"It should be noted that the 9mm magazine located in the search of (Fanniel's place on Willow Lake in Plainfield) fit the handgun located during this second search," the forfeiture reads.

Now, the Will County State's Attorney's staff wants a judge to declare the 2017 Dodge Durango to be a forfeited police asset because it "was used to transport Terrell Fanniel" during the reckless discharge of a firearm incident that endangered the lives of others at South Chicago and Doris Avenue, court records show.

Joliet Patch has learned that Fanniel has remained in custody since the Joliet police raid of his place on Willow Lake Drive in November.

Fanniel is currently charged in Will County with unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver "more than 2,000 grams and but not more than 5,000 grams of any substance containing cannabis." His second charge is unlawful possession of cannabis, his third, fourth and fifth charges are unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Fanniel spent three days in the Will County Jail, but he has since been transferred to the Cook County Jail on South California Avenue in Chicago. At the time of his late November arrest, there were also temporary police holds for Fanniel issued by Cook County, Chicago Police and Darien Police.

On Dec. 27, Will County Judge Sarah Jones issued an order commanding the Cook County Jail to deliver Fanniel to Courtroom 404 of Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak for a hearing at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 29.

As of this week, no charges have been filed in connection with the October slaying of Evans. A court hearing on the forfeiture of the Dodge Durango is set for Feb. 5.