Bail Lowered For Joliet Murder Defendant By Judge Sarah Jones

JOLIET, IL — Friends and family members of Joliet first-degree murder defendant Anthony "Tony" Harames will need to come up with less in bail money as a result of Friday's bond reduction hearing before Will County Judge Sarah Jones.

On Friday, Jones reduced Harames' bail to $4 million. In December 2021, Will County Judge Fred Harvey set bail at $5,150,000 in connection with his charges of first-degree murder, concealment of a homicide and his separate case of felony domestic battery charges.

Since March 2022, Harames' murder charges were on hold at the Will County Courthouse after he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. He was sent to a psychiatric hospital in Elgin and on Jan. 31, Will County's judges were notified that Harames' mental competency has been restored and he's now fit to stand trial in the death of his 53-year-old missing uncle Timothy Bokholdt of Joliet's College Park subdivision of Houbolt Road.

In December 2021, Harames led Joliet detectives to the slain body of his uncle, which was being hidden on the back of the property for Joliet's Woodlawn Cemetery on Jefferson Street, according to Joliet police. The uncle had died from several stab wounds inside his house.

On Dec. 9, Harames led Joliet detectives to the body of his 53-year-old missing uncle, authorities said. Timothy Bokholdt's body had been dumped in the back of the Woodlawn Cemetery along Joliet's West Jefferson Street around Nov. 22.

Jolice believe his homicide happened around Nov. 17, 2021. The uncle died from a stabbing inside his house on Natoma Court, Joliet police have said.

"When Joliet police detectives interviewed Harames, he admitted to killing the victim with a knife weeks prior and then used the victim's vehicle to transport the body to Woodlawn Cemetery where he disposed of the victim's body," Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English announced.

Friday's bail reduction ruling means that Harames' will be released from the Will County Jail if his family can post $400,000 cash, which is 10 percent of the $4 million amount.

In the event that Harames' posts his bail, Judge Jones ruled that Harames must stay away from 906 Natoma Court, the house where his uncle's homicide happened.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Killer Waited 5 Days To Move Body To Cemetery: Prosecutors

Woodlawn Cemetery Murder Revisited 1 Year Later

Is Joliet Murder Defendant Anthony Harames Fit To Stand Trial?

Joliet Killer Dumps Uncle's Body In Woodlawn Cemetery: Police