Joliet Murder Defendant D'Kiva Jones Hires Joliet Attorney

JOLIET, IL — A 27-year-old woman from Crest Hill who has been accused of using her sports utility vehicle as a murder weapon, killing 39-year-old Derek Walsh, has decided she will no longer be represented by the Will County Public Defender's Office.

On Thursday morning, Joliet lawyer Chuck Bretz of the Law Offices of Bretz, Flynn & Associates, appeared before Will County Judge Dave Carlson on behalf of D'Kiva Jones. She lives in the Will County Jail and her bail remains at $2 million.

Joliet police officers booked Jones into the county detention facility around 5:45 p.m. on March 23.

On March 21, Walsh, a pedestrian, was struck by an SUV just before 3:30 p.m. in a parking lot in the 1100 block of Plainfield Road. Joliet police said a woman was arguing with Walsh after she struck his parked motorcycle. As he approached her SUV, she accelerated and drove into him, causing "extensive injuries," according to police.

A couple of days later, Joliet police announced that Jones faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and leaving the scene of an accident.

Outside Carlson's courtroom Thursday, Bretz told Joliet Patch that it's way too early for him to make any statements about the case or talk about any defense strategy.

Bretz said he's still in the process of obtaining the Joliet police incident reports in connection with Walsh's death.

Related Patch coverage: Joliet Murder Charge Filed In Derek Walsh's Death