Killer Left ID, Cellphone In Victims' Vehicle: Joliet Prosecutors

JOLIET, IL — Joliet double murder defendant Tommie McDonald left his work ID, his keys and his cellphone inside the sports utility vehicle where two men were fatally shot shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday on Joliet's South Chicago Street, prosecutors told Will County Judge Brian Barrett on Thursday afternoon at McDonald's first court appearance.

Prosecutors for Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow asked the judge to set no bail for the 41-year-old Joliet resident, who is being charged with four counts of first-degree murder as well as being an armed habitual criminal.

The two homicide victims were both residents of Joliet: Tracy L. Williams, 45, and Bernard Marble, 53.

After hearing the prosecution's evidence, Barrett set bail at $10 million for McDonald, who appeared in court over a video monitor set up at the Will County Jail. McDonald was booked into custody by the Joliet Police Department around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

According to prosecutors, McDonald had spent a portion of Tuesday riding around with Williams and smoking PCP over the course of several hours.

Later that night, Williams, along with McDonald, drove to one of the Joliet gas stations near McDonough Street and South Chicago Street, and that's where they picked up Marble, according to Thursday's testimony.

Shortly before 1 a.m., McDonald pulled out a gun and fired several shots from inside the sports utility vehicle, prosecutors told the judge.

Williams, who was the driver, was shot in the face while Marble, who sat in the rear passenger seat, was shot through the shoulder as well as his hip, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors told the judge that police recovered video surveillance evidence from the nearby Milano Bakery on South Chicago Street that shows McDonald crawling out a window of the SUV and running before several police cars arrived at the scene, near the intersection of Fifth Avenue.

However, during the middle of the night, McDonald returned to the crime scene and approached the police inquiring whether Tracy Williams was in the car, according to Thursday's testimony.

Prosecutors said that McDonald ultimately left the area because the police didn't realize McDonald may be the suspect in the shootings.

Eventually, McDonald walked to his girlfriend's house in hope of borrowing her phone, and she refused to give it him, prosecutors said, explaining that the woman later realized that her 9mm handgun was missing.

During the investigation, Joliet police also recovered video surveillance evidence from the nearby gas station that shows McDonald frequenting the business leading up to the double homicides, prosecutors told the judge.

Additionally, the Joliet Police Department recovered gunshot residue from the clothes McDonald wore at the time he was taken into custody, the same clothes he wore on Tuesday night leading up to the double homicide, prosecutors said.

The pistol that was involved in the homicides was also recovered from the sports utility vehicle, according to prosecutors.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office cited McDonald's extensive criminal history as their rationale for wanting to keep the Joliet resident in custody without bail.

In February 2019, McDonald was released from the Illinois Department of Corrections after serving a seven-year prison term for possession of a gun by a gang member. Prior to his conviction for that crime, a Will County grand jury indicted McDonald four years earlier on charges of being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful possession of a gun by a street gang member, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon, court records reflect.

Although Thursday's judge agreed that McDonald has "an extensive criminal history," Barrett opted to set bail at $10 million, rather than issue no bail for the defendant.

The judge also appointed the Will County Public Defender's Office to serve as his counsel.

Lastly, the judge informed McDonald that he would be getting two pre-paid phone cards so he can stay in contact with family members while he's incarcerated at the Will County Jail.

The jail is just a few blocks up the street from where Wednesday's double homicide occurred.

McDonald expressed gratitude toward the judge's decision regarding the phone cards. "Thank you for the phone cards, sir," McDonald remarked.

Actually, the issuance of phone cards for jail inmates by Will County's judges is a common practice.

Barrett assigned McDonald's case to Courtroom 405 of Will County Circuit Judge Dave Carlson. Before parting ways, a court-appointed criminal defense attorney instructed McDonald to make sure he does not discuss his criminal case with anybody at the jail, unless it's a member of the Will County Public Defender's Office.

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