District 86 Teacher Refuses To Pay For Wife's Funeral

JOLIET, IL — Michael Kazecki, the Joliet junior high school teacher for District 86 who remains free on first-degree murder charges, has informed Will County's judicial system he will not be paying off the funeral expenses for his wife, Becky Kazecki. An attorney for the Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home filed a lawsuit against the McDonough Street murder defendant in January, as was first reported by Joliet Patch.

This week, Michael Kazecki submitted his written response to the lawsuit brought against him. His response was directed to Troy & Associates, the Channahon law firm representing Blackburn.

"The defendant, Michael R. Kazecki, was booked in the Will County Adult Detention Center from 7:41 p.m. of August 7, 2018 and was released on bond at 8:50 p.m. on August 30, 2018," Kazecki wrote the court this week.

"While in custody, the defendant had no contact with Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home and had no participation or input in the funeral services or arrangements for Rebecca L. Kazecki. In the obituary for Rebecca L. Kazecki, Michael R. Kazecki was not listed as being married to the deceased."

Furthermore, Michael Kazecki wrote, "the headstone at the gravesite at Mount Emblem Cemetery reads 'Rebecca L. Brackenrich: Beloved Mother, Sister and Daughter.' The deceased's married name was not listed on the headstone nor was there any mention of the deceased having been married at the time of her death to the defendant."

At the time of Becky Kazecki's death last Aug. 7, her husband wrote the court, "Rebecca L. Kazecki did not have a will."

On the other hand, Becky Kazecki was survived by three siblings, according to Michael Kazecki, and "in a verified statement signed by Amanda Francis, Rebecca's eldest sister, Sara Hutchinson, Rebecca's other sister, is listed as the primary contact person assisting in the investigation of the circumstances of Rebecca's death ... and making necessary funeral arrangements."

Michael Kazecki also wrote that the itemized statement from Blackburn includes a signature from Sara Hutchinson dated Aug. 30, 2018, and that it was listed as "the signature of the purchaser." The itemized bill is signed by funeral director Rayna Brophy.

The murder defendant ended his typed letter by informing the Will County Courthouse that, according to Illinois laws, "no creditor who has a claim against a spouse or former spouse for an expense incurred by that spouse or former spouse which is not a family expense, shall maintain an action against the other spouse or former spouse for that expense except a) an expense for which the other spouse or former spouse agreed, in writing, to be liable or b) an expense for goods or merchandise purchased by or in the possession of the other spouse or former spouse, or for services ordered by the other spouse or former spouse.

"Neither decedent nor the defendant purchased or pre-purchased any funeral services or arrangements from Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home, nor does the defendant's signature appear on either of the known itemized bills by Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home, Michael Kazecki wrote.

He closed his letter by stating, "Thank you for your review of this communication."

A Will County judge will have to issue a ruling. The plaintiffs are seeking a judgment against Michael Kazecki for $17,211.80, plus court costs.

Kazecki was put on paid suspension by Joliet District 86 after being charged with killing his wife.

She was a teacher at Gompers Junior High School. He also taught on the city's east side, at Washington Junior High School.

Joliet Police have said that Becky Kazecki died in the hospital as a result of severe beatings inflicted upon her by her husband, inside their McDonough Street house, early last August, before the school year started.