Woody's Bar: 'I Am Afraid Of Paul Killing Me'

JOLIET, IL - Woody's Bar on Joliet's industrial east side was where recently hired bartender Katie Kearns was last seen alive on the night of November 12 before being murdered in Will County. Woody's was also the site of more mischief and mayhem around Thanksgiving, court documents at the Will County Courthouse reflect. Woody's patron Todd Steven Peterson, 50, requested a stalking no-contact order against Paul Joseph Carlos to protect himself as well as Woody's Bar owner Mary Woodard, 73. Court documents indicate Carlos, 46, lives in the 400 block of Joliet's White Avenue and works for Micron Trucking.

Court documents indicate Peterson and Woodard both reside in the 1400 block of East Washington Street.

To set the stage for the events surrounding the filing of the protection order, November was a stormy month for Woody's Bar. The 24-year-old Kearns, a New Lenox Township resident, was fatally shot once in the head and her body was put in the back of her Jeep, which was found about 60 miles southeast of Joliet. Jeremy Boshears, a regular patron at Woody's and a member of the Joliet Outlaws motorcycle riding club, was charged by Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow with first-degree murder.

Jeremy Boshears

Fast forward to November 23 inside the confines of Woody's Bar, 1008 East Washington Street.

Paul Carlos walked into Woody's with an unidentified friend, court documents state. "He was told immediately he was to leave because he has been barred from the bar. He was drunk and he said 'I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to Mary.' Then he said 'No, I came to see Todd (Peterson)," the Will County Circuit Court petition for the stalking no-contact order states.

Trouble erupted inside the establishment.

"At this point, he knocked me off the stool and proceeded to kick and punch me on the head. He also threw a bar stool at my head. The bartender called 911 as soon as she saw him come in the bar," Todd Peterson stated in court documents. "When he found out the police were coming he left after doing damage to me and breaking my $600 glasses."

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Apparently, the mischief and mayhem was investigated by the Joliet Police Department.

"The police looked at the tape of the event and wanted me to go to the hospital, but I refused," Peterson stated in his petition for the no-stalking order against Paul Carlos.

"When Mary and I went home that night we found the side door lock had been tampered with. I had to get a screwdriver to tighten the lock up. It was a new lock. Paul had left his cell phone at the bar and called the bar repeatedly wanting to come to the bar and get his phone. He was harassing the bar manager. He was not allowed to come in the bar," Peterson's petition to the Will County judge claimed.

The stalking no-contact order petition filed by Peterson also mentioned an incident at Woody's Bar that occurred over the summer, back on June 8.

"Paul came in the bar with five people this night and sat down next to me and Mary," Peterson notified the judge. "He was angry that Mary was going to sell a motor home and she needed the keys and Paul had them. Mary asked Paul for the keys and he became angry. Paul was being so mean to Mary that I got up and went outside because I did not want to hear it.

"At this point one of his friends came outside and punched me in the mouth. Then Paul started beating me both inside the bar and outside the bar. I have no feeling in my front teeth, my face was battered and bruised from this incident," Peterson wrote the court.

"The police were called but when they arrived they could not find Paul. Paul and his five friends were already gone from the bar."

These days, Peterson has a genuine fear that another murder may happen, court records indicate.

"I am afraid of Paul killing me," he wrote the Will County judge.

The petition was reviewed by Judge Jessica Colon-Sayre.

She denied it based on the lack of proof submitted by the plaintiff.

"Petitioner did not sustain burden of proof," online court records show.

The case has been dismissed from the Will County court docket.

Images via Joliet Patch Editor John Ferak