Joliet 1st-Degree Murder Defendant Posts $1 Million Bail

JOLIET, IL — Abraham Bibian II, a 20-year-old Joliet resident lodged in the Will County Jail since April 6 on first-degree murder charges and a $1 million bail, is no longer in police custody, Joliet Patch has learned.

After spending six months and one week in county detention, Bibian was set free on Oct. 13, jail records show. His mother came up with a $100,000 deposit to secure the release of her son, who lives with her in the 1200 block of Joliet's Edge Hill Avenue.

Will County prosecutors revealed in May that Bibian made a confession implicating himself in the April 4 deadly shooting of Jwaun Latrell Jones, who was 18.

Bibian and a 26-year-old Joliet woman, Paola Diaz, are both charged with first-degree murder and Bibian is also charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

According to court documents submitted by Assistant Will County State's Attorney Peter Wilkes, Jones was fatally shot in the head as he sat inside a vehicle driving westbound on Western Avenue at North Bluff Street. The Joliet homicide was near the Cass Street Bridge over the Des Plaines River.

"An individual, later learned to be defendant Abraham Bibian, is seen shooting a rifle at the victim's car. Defendant Bibian admitted to police he fired the weapon on the night of this murder," Will County prosecutors outlined in court records from May.

Joliet police detectives do not believe Jones was the intended target of the shooter. Police reports reflect that Bibian aimed his rifle in the direction of the vehicle with several occupants, including Jones, who sat in the backseat.

On Sept. 30, Patch reported that Diaz's bail was lowered from $1 million to $500,000 by Will County Judge Dave Carlson.

Unlike Bibian, Diaz has remained in the Will County Jail since April 6.

During the homicide investigation, Joliet police detectives recovered the rifle believed to be used by Bibian during the slaying. The rifle was found inside the bedroom of Diaz, who lives in the 400 block of Oneida Street, according to police reports.

Bibian has his next pre-trial hearing in Will County Courtroom 405 at 9:30 a.m. Friday. Bibian is being represented by downtown Joliet criminal defense lawyer Charles Bretz.