Joliet Killer Will Spend At Least 47 Years In Prison: Glasgow

JOLIET, IL — A Will County jury found Joliet resident Nathan Hill guilty of first-degree murder and guilty of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon at the conclusion of last week's trial in Courtroom 402 of Judge Daniel Rippy.

On June 12, 2020, Hill, then 43 years old, shot and killed 32-year-old Derrick Williams-Scott at 12:01 a.m. in the 1100 block of Richards Street. Joliet police detectives arrested Hill in less than 24 hours after the homicide. Hill has remained in the Will County Jail unable to post his $5 million bail ever since.

According to the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow, the evidence revealed that Williams-Scott and Hill got into an argument while seated inside a car. Williams-Scott hit Hill in the back of the head and exited the car. Hill got out of the car and shot Williams-Scott multiple times. Hill fled in his getaway car and Joliet police located Hill later that morning and placed him under arrest.

Hill's first-degree murder conviction means he faces a mandatory minimum of 45 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with the potential of a maximum sentence of life.

The unlawful use of a weapon by a felon count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections that is consecutive to the murder conviction, prosecutors noted.

Hill must serve 100 percent of the sentence imposed. Hill is expected to appear in court on September 7 for post-trial motions and sentencing.

In his news release announcing the jury's verdict, Glasgow praised the performance of Assistant State’s Attorney’s James Long, Adam Capelli, and Mark Shlifka, Jr., Victim-Witness Advocate Esther Borrego, Gus Martinucci, who provided technical support, and Joliet Police Detective Michael Cagle.

As Joliet Patch previously reported, this was the second time in Hill's life in which he stood trial for a first-degree murder in Joliet.

Back in 2000, a Will County jury found him not guilty.