Great Falls Triple Murder: 'There Is Reason For Optimism'

JOLIET, IL — Shortly before 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, the Joliet Police Department was summoned to a triple murder inside a house in the 2000 block of Great Falls Drive, in the Cumberland subdivision near County Line Road. All three homicide victims were 22 years old and suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

The victims were: Anthony McGee, who grew up at the house on Great Falls Drive; Manny Hernandez of Plainfield; and Gabriella M. Rueda, of West Chicago. Of the three, McGee was the only one with a long criminal rap sheet. In the years before his slaying, Anthony McGee put a knife up against a teenage boy's throat, and Joliet Police arrested him for possessing stolen guns.

Within days of the triple homicide, one of the McGee family's neighbors told Joliet Patch that "The news is gangs and drugs. That's just the sidewalk talk."

Another neighbor also told Patch in September 2017 that she wanted the killer caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

"I would love to see justice for that family," the woman remarked.

Now, the two-year anniversary of Joliet's triple homicide has passed, still without an arrest.

At the time of the crime, the Joliet Police Chief was Brian Benton and the Criminal Investigations Division was led by Deputy Chief Al Roechner.

These days, Benton is retired and collecting his police pension. The Joliet City Council promoted Al Roechner to chief of police. Detective Sgt. Darrell Gavin is now deputy chief of investigations.

On Friday, Gavin participated in a question-and-answer interview with Joliet Patch regarding the status of the unsolved triple homicide on Great Falls Drive.

Joliet Patch: "What have been the biggest obstacles in terms of identifying the killer and making an arrest?"

Gavin: "Contrary to the question, detectives did a great job in identifying the suspect early in the investigation. The problem with this particular case is there is not enough at this point in the investigation to establish the legal burden of probable cause for his arrest on that case just yet.

Joliet Patch: "Are you surprised this crime remains unsolved, two years later?"

Gavin: "Cooperation can be the reason a case is solved quickly or why it takes time to arrest the ones responsible. At the beginning of this case we received some cooperation from people who were at the party or aware of information. We do know, however, that some of that initial information we received wasn’t a complete depiction of what occurred that night. This makes the investigation harder to solve when people are not willing to cooperate fully with our detectives."

Joliet Patch: "What would it take at this point in order to make an arrest?"

Gavin: "As with other homicides, information and truthfulness is key. The detectives on this case did a great job in determining what happened, and in establishing a suspect in short order. The evidence techs did a great job collecting and preserving any evidence left behind. The information, although helpful, was not the full account of what they knew, and we know there is much more that they held back that may have put us over the 'probable cause' hurdle."

Joliet Patch: "Does it appear the killer knew the resident of the house, Anthony McGee, and that Anthony McGee was the primary target of the shooting? Were the other two victims innocent bystanders?"

Gavin: "That is case specific information that we are not in a position to reveal at this time."

Joliet Patch: " Should the Joliet community come to the realization that this triple homicide may stay unsolved for a long time, is there any reason for people to be optimistic of an arrest in the very near future?"

Gavin: "There is reason for optimism. I think it is premature to believe there isn’t. Time is typically on our side. Friendships deteriorate, relationships sour, and people who know information sometimes give information they have to help themselves out of a legal problem. Our suspect is also currently incarcerated for other crimes from one of our other cases that our detectives were able to tie him to."

Joliet Patch: "Do you think the killer who remains at large is still in the area? Why or why not?"

Gavin: "As stated previously, we know he isn’t 'at large.' We know where the suspect is, as he is incarcerated on another case our detectives were able to tie him to."

Joliet Patch: "Anything else you want to add or mention about this particular triple homicide?"

Gavin: "We encourage anyone with information regarding this particular homicide, whether they have first-hand knowledge or have information pertaining to this homicide, to contact our investigations division or anonymously through CrimeStoppers."

Residents can call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 1-800-323-6734, submit a tip online or text "willcocs" and "tip" to 274637.

ICYMI: 6 Solved, 6 Unsolved Homicides In Joliet For 2019