Another Man Wanted In Republic Ave. Killing

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Police Department is seeking help trying to locate a 22-year-old man in connection with last Friday's deadly shooting of a Joliet teenager on Republic Avenue. On Wednesday afternoon, police revealed a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Jeremiah Gavin on first-degree murder charges.

Anyone with information on where Gavin is hiding is urged to call the Joliet Police Investigations Unit at 815-724-3020. You can also remain anonymous by contacting Will County CrimeStoppers.

According to Will County records, Gavin lived in the 1400 block of Pioneer Road in Crest Hill last spring. Gavin also spent six months in the Will County Jail in 2018 after Joliet Police officers arrested him in connection with multiple gun crimes.

Earlier on Wednesday, Joliet Patch reported that the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has filed first-degree murder charges against an 18-year-old Joliet man in connection with Friday afternoon's deadly shooting near the St. Joe's hospital.

Murder charges are now on file against Rasean Stokes. On Feb. 7, Stokes "shot Jeremiah Frazier with a firearm thereby causing the death of Jeremiah Frazier," the criminal complaint submitted by the Joliet Police Department states.

Stokes lives in the 1400 block of Yarrow Drive. His bail was set at $1 million. Frazier, 17, died on Sunday afternoon. He was shot in the head, authorities said.

Besides two first-degree murder counts, Stokes was also charged with one count of aggravated discharge of a gun. Stokes "knowingly discharged a firearm in the direction of a vehicle, a Chevrolet Avco, he knew or reasonably should have known to be occupied by a person," according to the criminal complaint.

In addition to the murder case against Stokes, Will County prosecutors filed formal charges against one of the occupants of the other vehicle.

The drive-by shooting occurred in the 200 block of Republic Avenue on the city's west side. There are several businesses located on Republic Avenue, including trucking companies.

Javontae Gray, 22, has been charged with aggravated discharge of a gun and obstructing justice.

According to the criminal complaint, Gray knowingly discharged a gun in the direction of another vehicle, a Pontiac Bonneville, even though he knew the vehicle was occupied by other people. The second charge indicates that after the Feb. 7 afternoon shooting, Gray knowingly concealed evidence by retrieving a cellular phone from the ground with the intent to obstruct the prosecution of himself or others for the alleged crime.

Bail for Gray, who lives in the 600 block of Elmwood Avenue, was set at $2 million, twice the amount set for Stokes, who faces the first-degree murder charge.

Both men live in Joliet's Forest Park area.

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