Murder In Joliet's Ridgewood Neighborhood Area: Trial Underway

JOLIET, IL — Lawyers for Joliet Township murder defendant Anthony Francimore argued Tuesday morning that their client was 20 years old, living at home with his parents and that he was "dumb," having no idea Elijah "Eli" Watson would lean out the window of a car, fatally shooting Nathan Ballard once in the chest.

The 1 a.m. shooting happened on Joliet's east side near Highland Avenue and Fox Street. Within a day of the deadly shooting, the Will County Sheriff's Office arrested Francimore and Watson, charging each young man from Joliet charged with first-degree murder.

Tuesday marked the start of Francimore's jury trial in Courtroom 404 of Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius. The Will County State's Attorney's Office is represented by Christine Vukmir, Mike Fitzgerald and Katie Rabenda, who handled the prosecution's opening statements.

Rabenda informed the jury at the start of Francimore's trial that "this is not a typical murder." In this case, she said, Francimore was responsible for arranging a crack cocaine deal that resulted in the homicide of Nathan Ballard, 20.

Francimore set up the robbery, planned it with Eli Watson and "this robbery is what led to the murder of Nathan Ballard," she told the jury during opening statements.

Francimore also knew that his friend, Watson, carried a gun and that Watson took Francimore to the area on Joliet's east side where the victim provided money but was given no drugs. As Francimore and four other people drove off, Watson leaned out the window of the car and fired one gun shot, striking Ballard in the chest, Rabenda told the jury.

Francimore is being defended by three Will County Public Defenders, Eric Berg, Tony Purrazzo and Rachel Smith. Purrazzo handled the opening statements for Francimore.

Purrazzo reminded the jury that the slaying happened five years ago this month, when he was client was just 20 years old, still living at home and still was not sure what he wanted to do in life.

Purrazzo also argued that his client had no idea that Watson was planning to lean out the car window and fire his gun, shooting Nathan Ballard as the five of them drove off.

"Anthony's dumb," the public defender argued. "For the most part, he does not know what's going on.

"There was no animosity, no aggression, Anthony does not brandish a knife or show a gun," Purrazzo told the jury. "Nothing happened, there was no threat of force, no show of force, no forcible felony ... Eli Watson pulled that (weapon) and Eli Watson killed Nathan Ballard. We know that you will find our client not guilty."

Will County Sheriff's Deputy Mark McKenzie was the first deputy to arrive on the scene around 1 a.m. back on Oct. 28, 2018. At the scene, the shooting victim's brother provided the deputy with a photo of the vehicle and license plates of the getaway vehicle.

At the scene, McKenzie found three people near the shooting victim as he lay on the parkway, and they were all crying and hysterical.

Prosecutors asked McKenzie about the condition of Ballard.

"He was breathing," McKenzie testified. "But there was a gurgling noise and choking."

Several minutes later, paramedics arrived and began providing CPR. Ballard later died at the hospital.