Joliet Man Convicted Of Second-Degree Murder In Grundy County

JOLIET, IL — Grundy County State's Attorney Jason Helland wanted a jury in Morris to convict Joliet's Kasim Baker of first-degree murder in the deadly stabbing of a Morris senior citizen, Daniel Smiley. The jury did not go with a first-degree murder conviction. Instead, the panel of local residents found Baker guilty of the lesser offense of second-degree murder, according to news coverage from the two-week trial by Grundy County radio station, WCSJ.

The Morris radio station reported that the 65-year-old Morris homicide victim suffered 36 stab wounds with a kitchen knife at his apartment complex on Twilight Drive back in early March of 2019.

Baker, now 65, and Smiley knew each other from a mutual acquaintance and this week Baker testified in his own defense, saying he was at the Morris apartment with fellow Will County Jail inmate Alex Perez and Baker was smoking crack with Smiley.

According to WCSJ's report, Baker testified in his own defense suggesting that the 65-year-old Smiley came after him with a knife inside Smiley's apartment and Baker grabbed the weapon and killed Smiley in self-defense.

Afterward, Baker stole the man's 50-inch television set and sold it in Joliet for crack cocaine, according to the Morris radio station's trial coverage. A handful of Will County Jail inmates, including Perez, testified on behalf of the Grundy County State's Attorney at the trial.

The Joliet killer's sentencing was set for January. Baker faces four to 15 years of prison at the Illinois Department of Corrections.