Paralyzed Latin King's Death: Triple Murder Charges Filed In Joliet

JOLIET, IL — As the Will County Sheriff's Office anticipated, more first-degree murder charges were filed against Joliet Vice Lords Joskar Ramos and the Lopez brothers, Thomas and Jeremy, following the Oct. 30, 2022, death of paralyzed Joliet shooting victim, Sergio Hernandez, 20.

The latest murder charges were filed Thursday at the Will County Courthouse. Hernandez died at a nursing care facility in nearby DuPage County just one day before the anniversary of the Joliet Township shooting spree.

At the backyard house party at 1018 East Jackson Street attended by roughly 200 people, two innocent bystanders, Jonathan Ceballos and Holly Mathews, were both slain by the gunfire.

During the past year, Ramos and the Lopez brothers already faced first-degree murder charges for the deaths of Ceballos and Mathews. Now, the three young men from Joliet are facing triple first-degree murder charges in connection with the Halloween party shootings from 2021.

Will County Sheriff's officials previously said that Hernandez, who was a Joliet Latin King street gang member, was the intended target of the shooters.

At the time of the shooting, Hernandez had been free on bond, several months after being arrested by the Joliet Police Department in connection with a drive-by shooting around noon on a Sunday near the intersection of Jackson Street and Garnsey Avenue.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Another Homicide Ruling: Joliet Halloween Party Mass Shootings

Vice Lords Targeted Latin King In Halloween Party Shooting: Sheriff

Paralyzed At Halloween Party: Joliet Teen Still Faces 2021 Gun Charge

Target Of Halloween Party Shooting Dies 1 Year Later