Crest Hill Police Sergeant Faces Domestic Battery Charges

CREST HILL, IL — Crest Hill Police Sgt. Terry Fenoglio, who killed 30-year-old Crest Hill resident Matthew Parks in March during a shooting that also left fellow Crest Hill Officer Ryan Tetlow seriously injured, now faces two counts of domestic battery in Yorkville.

The 40-year-old Fenoglio was booked into the Kendall County Jail on Monday morning after surrendering to authorities as part of a Yorkville Police Department investigation. Around 4:30 p.m. Monday, Fenoglio was released from the jail after posting $5,000 bond, jail records show.

According to a press release, Yorkville's Police Department charged Fenoglio with two counts of misdemeanor domestic battery following an investigation into an incident at Fenoglio’s Yorkville home on Sept. 10.

Fenoglio is accused of making physical contact of an insulting and provoking nature with a household or family member, resulting in bodily harm to that person, Yorkville police said.

During Tuesday's phone interview, Crest Hill Police Chief Ed Clark told Joliet Patch that Yorkville police notified him on Sept. 14 that a criminal investigation was underway surrounding an incident involving his off-duty Crest Hill sergeant at Fenoglio's residence in Yorkville.

Fenoglio has been placed on administrative paid leave as a result of his criminal case in Yorkville, Clark said. Fenoglio had been assigned to administrative duties with the Crest Hill Police Department as a result of the March 14 fatal shooting at the Pioneer Road apartments.

Even though the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force has finished its investigation into the March 14 officer shooting, Clark said his agency's internal affairs investigation involving Fenoglio for that case has not finished, yet.

Also on Tuesday, Will County Chief Deputy of Investigations Dan Jungles said that the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force learned on Sept. 9 that the Will County State's Attorney's Office determined there was no basis to pursue criminal charges against Fenoglio in connection with the death of Parks.

In essence, Fenoglio has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with that case, Jungles indicated.

The Crest Hill Police Department posted false information about the events about Fenoglio's police shooting, wrongly claiming that Parks stabbed one of the Crest Hill police officers. The truth wasn't revealed for 37 days.

"During the confrontation, Parks stabbed a Crest Hill Police Officer in the leg, with a knife," a statement posted on Crest Hill Facebook page wrongly said in March. "This officer has been with the Crest Hill Police Department since September of 2019. It is believed that the knife cut the femoral artery of this responding officer’s leg. A sergeant with the Crest Hill Police Department shot the suspect several times in defense of the injured officer’s life."

Through a series of Freedom of Information Act requests and a review of Crest Hill's payroll data, Joliet Patch determined that Crest Hill Police Sgt. Terry Fenoglio fatally shot Parks on the top level of the apartment building at 1412 Pioneer Road. Fenoglio also shot and wounded Officer Ryan Tetlow.

Fenoglio has been on the Crest Hill Police Department since September 2004. He was on the Joliet Police Department's hiring list for new patrol officers, but Joliet's Board of Police and Fire commissioners rejected his application in March 2015.

The corrected news release from Jungles now states: "Responding Crest Hill officers observed Parks with the kitchen knife high over his head, approaching the Crest Hill Police Sergeant in an aggressive manner. The Crest Hill Police Sergeant discharged his firearm several times in the direction of Parks, who was approaching him with the knife. The gunfire struck Parks numerous times, and he was later pronounced deceased on scene."

There was no police body-camera footage of the Pioneer Road shooting.

None of the Crest Hill police officers are using body cameras these days, Crest Hill's chief informed Patch back in April. "The city of Crest Hill is planning on obtaining body worn cameras and will comply with the Safe-T-Act," Clark said at the time.

Unlike Crest Hill, the Will County Sheriff's Office and the Joliet Police Department are both equipping their officers with body cameras these days.

As for the employment status of Tetlow, Clark told Patch on Tuesday that Tetlow remains unable to return to work as a patrol officer. Tetlow has now been away from Crest Hill's Police Department for six months and a week.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• Police 'Didn't Need To Use Excessive Force,' Crest Hill Mom Says
• Friendly Fire Injured Crest Hill Cop, Suspect Never Stabbed Him: Ferak
• Man Killed By Crest Hill Police, Officer 'Stable' After Stabbing