This Summer's Joliet-Area Violent Crime That Remains Unsolved

JOLIET, IL - The unsolved tragedy involving April's death of baby Sema'j Crosby of Preston Heights remains in the constant public spotlight, but even more recently are several unsolved deaths and cases of violent crime that have taken place this summer. Many of these cases around the Joliet area haven't risen to high-profile status. Incidentally, some of these cases have already started to fade from the public's memory, probably to the delight of the culprits, who remain on the lam and have not been captured by police investigators.

At Joliet Patch, we've decided to highlight four such criminal investigations from June and July, cases from around the Joliet area. These Will County cases deserve further scrutiny, and local police agencies also need to be reminded that these victims are not being forgotten.

Anton J. Mable, 25,

It's been more than a month since the Chicago resident suffered multiple gunshot wounds while sitting inside a parked vehicle near the McDonald's parking lot in the 1500 block of West Jefferson Street. Mable was shot at 12:52 a.m. on July 12 and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 1:17 a.m. At the time of his murder, Mable was behind the steering wheel, while the vehicle's owner, was in the passenger seat. The owner of the vehicle was not injured during the shooting. Mable's homicide is being investigated by the Joliet Police Department, where the slaying remains unsolved. Al Roechner, Joliet's deputy chief of investigations, has not given any updates on his agency's progress, or lack thereof, during the past month.

John Doe, age unknown

On June 21, Will County Highway Department employees came across the decomposed body of a white or Hispanic male while mowing a ditch along Manhattan-Monee Road. An autopsy determined that the unidentified man suffered multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide. Complicating the investigation to track down the man's killer, the Will County Sheriff's Department has yet to determine the victim's identity. In late June,Will County released photos of the man's watch and a gold ring in the hopes that someone who knew him would recognize the items and contact the sheriff's department. That has yet to happen. The man was 5-foot-3 and had a 32-inch waist, authorities have said, but where he was murdered and by the whom, remain foggy details for the Will County Sheriff's Department.

Jane Doe, age unknown

On Saturday, July 8, the body of young light-skinned woman turned up in a shallow section of the Kankakee River in Wilmington Township. The body was discovered by a resident who lived on Readman Lane. The case is being investigated by the Illinois State Police District 5 headquarters in Crest Hill. Within days of the body find, State Police investigators said they had a couple of out of state leads to pursue. However, at least one of those leads, involving a young Indiana woman from Kokomo who vanished last October, is believed to have not panned out. Now more than a month later, a positive identification on the victim has yet to occur.

Two gunshot wound victims, Anthony's Restaurant & Pub

This has been the summer of turmoil for Anthony's Restaurant, the troubled restaurant and late-night bar near the Louis Joliet Mall. On July 23, a parking lot fight around 2:40 a.m. resulted in two of the patrons of Anthony's being shot. A 25-year-old Joliet woman suffered gunshot wounds to her legs and a 31-year-old Joliet man suffered a graze wound. Joliet police have described the two people involved in the shooting as black men. One was about 5-foot-11. He wore a red Polo shirt. His accomplice was closer to 5-foot-6, wearing a black T-shirt. No arrests have taken place during the past three weeks.

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