Joliet's 2018 Murder Of Nathan Ballard: Trial Gets Underway

JOLIET, IL — After spending four years and 51 weeks inside Will County's Jail, 25-year-old Joliet Township murder defendant Anthony Francimore is ready for a Will County jury to decide his fate. Monday afternoon marked the start of jury selection in Courtroom 404 of Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius for Francimore's first-degree murder trial.

If the jury is chosen Monday, opening statements from the lawyers will take place Tuesday morning.

Francimore, who comes from the 2700 block of Joliet's Dougall Road, was 19 at the time of Nathan Ballard's fatal shooting on Joliet's east side near the Belmont Athletic Club in October 2018.

Francimore and co-defendant, Elijah Watson, also of Joliet, were both arrested by Will County Sheriff's detectives within days of the deadly shooting. Elijah Watson also remains in jail, and his murder case has yet to go to trial.

According to court filings in the case from Will County prosecutors:

Around 1 a.m. on Oct. 28, 2018, sheriff's deputies were sent to 514 Fox Avenue in Joliet Township for gunshots. Nathan Ballard, age 20, was shot in the chest and rushed to Silver Cross Hospital, where he died. One witness at the scene told deputies that she knew Francimore and saw his Facebook profile as Nathan Ballard was communicating with Francimore over Facebook Messenger.

"She relayed the communication between Francimore and the victim had been ongoing throughout the day, discussing the purchase of drugs from Francimore."

She told deputies that Nathan Ballard told her and another young man that Francimore was outside, and he was going to meet with him to buy the drugs. The young man went outside with Nathan Ballard to meet with Francimore for the drug purchase, and that's when the killing happened.