Several Joliet Area Murders, Violent Crimes Of Late

JOLIET, IL - If it seems like there's been a wave of violent crimes in the Joliet area as of late, it's because there has. Over the past month, there have been several homicides and one shooting that left a man critically injured as he walked outside of a bar on Joliet's near west side.

Here's a look at several violent crimes since October:

1. October 1, Monday morning, city of Joliet, Fairview public housing projects.

28-year-old Joliet resident, Marcedes "Marcy" Flakes.

Case summary: Shortly before 7 a.m., 28-year-old Marcedes "Marcy" Flakes ran out of an apartment and collapsed in the street, in the 1500 block of Fairmont Avenue. Authorities say she died from a stab wound to her back.

Was an arrest made? Yes. Christopher Lee Beale, who has been a regular inmate at the Will County Jail since 2015, is now in custody after Joliet Police Department investigators arrested him. "Multiple witnesses identified Beale as the person last seen with the victim. Detectives, through their investigation, were able to also identify Beale as the person responsible for the victim's death. Detectives were able to determine Beale had fled Joliet and was heading to Chicago," Joliet Police said.

2. Saturday night, October 13, Joliet

Victim: Ashley Tucker, 25, Joliet resident, homicide victim

Case Summary: Tucker disappeared around 11 p.m. on Joliet's far east side after last being seen in the Parkwood/Ridgewood area where she lived.

Was An Arrest Made? Yes. The Joliet Police Department has solved this crime.

Peter Zabala, who Joliet Police say is a dangerous sexual predator, was apprehended on unrelated criminal charges Oct. 21. On Nov. 2, Zabala was charged with murder. "I can't even begin to describe the diligence and work ethic every member of the Investigations Division has exhibited in working this case," Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner said in a press statement.

3. Early Sunday morning, October 21, Joliet, near west side

Victim: 33-year-old man shot multiple times at close range. The man was critically injured after frequenting Ted & Sophie's in the 1000 block of Joliet's North Hickory Street.

Case summary: The Hispanic man was shot numerous times at 2:39 a.m. outside Ted & Sophie's. The victim was airlifted to the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Patch reported at the time. "Witnesses stated that the victim was in the parking lot when he was jumped and subsequently shot multiple times from close range. Officers located multiple shell casings where the witnesses stated the victim was shot. The case is under investigation," Joliet Police said.

Was An Arrest Made? No. The Joliet Police Department has not solved this crime yet.

4. Early Sunday morning, Oct. 28, Joliet Township, far east side

Victim: Nathan Ballard, 20, Crest Hill, fatally shot near Belmont Athletic Club.

Case Summary: Around 1 a.m. Ballard was shot in the chest in the 500 block of Fox Street on the far east side in Joliet Township. Will County Sheriff's Police found him in the roadway and unresponsive. He was rushed by ambulance to Silver Cross in New Lenox, where he died.

Was An Arrest Made? Yes, Two. The day after the killing, the Will County Sheriff's Department announced the arrests of Elijah Watson, 20, and Anthony Francimore, 23, on first-degree murder charges. Sheriff's officials say that Watson and Francimore both confessed to their roles in the robbery-murder. Francimore knew the victim and Watson was the shooter, police said.

5. Late Monday morning, November 5, Crest Hill

Victim: Aaron Tucker, 20, of Joliet, fatally shot.

Case Summary: Tucker was killed after being shot up inside a car near an apartment complex on Pioneer Road in Crest Hill.

Was An Arrest Made: Not yet. Crest Hill Chief Ed Clark told Joliet Patch on Tuesday afternoon that the investigators had already made significant progress in terms of figuring out the identity of the person who gunned down Aaron Tucker.

However, no arrests have been yet.

6. Thursday morning, Nov. 8, Bolingbrook, two dead

Victim: On Thursday morning, Aswad Bryant, 44, fatally shot his ex-girlfriend, Millizza "Liza" Steen, 37, at her house in the 200 block of Douglass Way, police said.

Case Summary: Bryant died on scene from a single self-inflicted gunshot in the 200 block of Bolingbrook's Douglass Way. The crime involved a domestic disturbance, police said.

Was An Arrest Made?: Not possible. This was a murder-suicide, police said.

For more: Victim Feared For Her Life: Patch Exclusive

Main photo is a file image via John Ferak/Joliet Patch taken in 2017