Joliet Teacher Slaying 5 Years Ago, Husband's Trial 6 Months Away

JOLIET, IL — Michael Kazecki, the former Washington Junior High School teacher for Joliet Public School District 86, will finally stand trial — six months from now — on his first-degree murder charges filed five years ago this month following the Aug. 7, 2018 death of his wife, Becky (Brackenrich) Kazecki.

The trial is set to begin at the end of February in Courtroom 402 of Will County Circuit Judge Daniel Rippy.

Now 43 years old, Kazecki remains a free citizen — one of only two Joliet first-degree murder defendants who are not incarcerated at Will County's Jail while awaiting their respective trials. The other is Abraham Bibian, who posted his $1 million bail in 2021.

In 2018, Will County Republican Judge Ben Braun objected to the arguments put forth by the Will County State's Attorney's Office, and Braun set Michael Kazecki's bail at $2 million, rather than the $5 million prosecutors sought.

After three weeks in Will County's Jail, Kazecki walked out of 95 South Chicago St. on Aug. 30, 2018 after his mother posted 10 percent, which was $200,000, to regain her son's freedom.

Michael Kazecki has remained free ever since, and his case has moved at a snail's pace in Courtroom 402 of the Will County Courthouse.

On Aug. 8, 2018, Joliet Patch reported that Michael Kazecki's private defense counsel, Nathaniel Tate of Joliet, asked Judge Braun to set bail "at a reasonable amount," given that his client has no prior criminal history, and he is employed as a long-time teacher and former college professor in the Chicago area.

"He's a public school teacher," Tate informed the judge.

During the bail hearing, the judge was told Michael Kazecki worked the past seven years for District 86 as a teacher at Washington. Before that, he worked as a professor at Joliet Junior College, Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills and Illinois Benedictine in Lisle, now called Benedictine University, as well as South Suburban College in South Holland.

Before Judge Braun set bail, Tate told him, "he greatly contests the nature of the charges."

Prosecutors told the judge that Michael Kazecki punched, kicked and struck his wife over the course of three days, from Aug. 4 to 6, 2018. The Kazecki lived in the 700 block of McDonough Street on Joliet's near west side.

Joliet Murder Defendant Moves To Oak Lawn

On Aug. 13, 2021, Kazecki notified Will County Circuit Judge Dan Rippy he has moved to Oak Lawn. He resides in the 10700 block of Long Avenue, about 50 miles from Joliet.

Will County court records indicate the house in Oak Lawn belongs to Mary Kazecki, who is his mother.

During Michael Kazecki's bail hearing more than five years ago, Will County prosecutors said he called 911 to report his wife was injured, and Joliet police officers found the woman unconscious on the floor at their family's two-story house. Becky Kazecki, age 38, never regained consciousness, and she was "brain dead" from blunt force trauma to her head, prosecutors noted.

She died on Aug. 7, 2018, at St. Joe's hospital.

Assistant State's Attorney Jim Long told the courtroom that Michael Kazecki had been disciplining the oldest of the couple's three children and that when his wife intervened, he began beating her.

Rippy Finally Sets Trial

This summer, Judge Rippy set Michael Kazecki's jury trial to begin on Feb. 26, 2024.

The lawyers for both sides have agreed to submit any pretrial motions by Sept. 28. Kazecki is represented by the downtown Joliet law firm of Jaquays & Ellis.

Kazecki's next appearance in Courtroom 402, related to the pretrial motions, is set for Sept. 28.

Recently, Joliet Patch reviewed the entire court case docket for Kazecki to determine why it has taken so long for the trial.

The following list is the entire court docket for Michael Kazecki since his arrest by Joliet police detectives, the day after his wife died at St. Joe's hospital:

2018

Aug. 8, 2018, Bail hearing in front of Judge Ben Braun; Michael Kazecki arrested previous day.

Aug. 23, 2018, Preliminary hearing before Judge Dan Rippy; all future hearings are assigned to Rippy's Courtroom 402.

Sept. 5, 2018, Status hearing, Judge Rippy issues a gag order, preventing both sides from granting interviews with the news media. "On the court's own motion, based on the high-profile status of this case and prior media coverage, a gag order is imposed on all parties to this case. Except as to matters of public record." Rippy issued the order less than a week after coverage in the Joliet Patch, The Joliet Herald-News and The Chicago Tribune revealed the murder defendant was no longer in the Will County jail.

Sept. 21, 2018, pretrial hearing

Oct. 15, 2018, pretrial hearing

Oct. 24, 2018 motions

Nov. 14, 2018, pretrial hearing

2019

Jan. 9, 2019, pretrial hearing

March 11, 2019, pretrial hearing

April 25, 2019, pretrial hearing

July 9, 2019, pretrial hearing

Sept. 26, 2019, motions

Sept. 27, 2019, pretrial and hearing on motions

Oct. 2, 2019, hearing

Oct. 9, 2019, judge's decision

Dec. 4. 2019, pretrial hearing

2020

Feb. 5, 2020, pretrial hearing

Sept. 10, 2020, pretrial hearing

Nov. 10, 2020, motions

Dec. 8, 2020, pretrial hearing

2021

March 24, 2021, discovery

June 7, 2021, status hearing

July 26, 2021, pretrial hearing

Oct. 20, 2021, pretrial hearing

2022

Jan. 27, 2022, pretrial hearing

April 11, 2022, pretrial hearing

July 1, 2022, motions

Sept. 19, 2022, pretrial hearing

Oct. 20, 2022, pretrial hearing

Dec. 21, 2022, discovery

2023

Jan. 31, 2023, pretrial hearing

March 29, 2023, pretrial hearing

June 8, 2023, setting for trial

Aug. 9, 2023, motions

Next hearing: Sept. 28, 2023, motions

Jury trial: Feb. 26, 2024

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Former Joliet Teacher Charged With Murder Relocates To Oak Lawn

District 86 Teacher Refuses To Pay For Wife's Funeral

Joliet Teacher Charged With Murder Still Paid By District 86

Charged With Murder: Former District 86 Teacher Leaves Joliet