Romeoville Father and Son Plead Not Guilty in Beating Death

Mark Ballard. Credit: Will County Sheriff’s Office

A father and his 15-year-old son pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder in the baseball bat-beating death of a 55-year-old Romeoville man.

Mark Ballard, 42, and son Adam are charged in connection with the death of Richard Pollack, who was killed after allegedly confronting the pair over a previous burglary to his vehicle, police said.

Both are accused of hitting Pollack in the head with a baseball bat.

At around 2 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of as many as nine people, some armed with baseball bats, near Pollack’s home in the 400 block of Tallman. They found Pollack critically injured at the scene. He was taken to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Ballards, who live less than half a mile away in the 300 block of Healy, were located nearby and taken into custody shortly after the attack, police said.

On Monday, police said the investigation continued, but no one else had been charged in connection with Pollack’s death.

Cmdr. John Ferdinardo said the dispute stemmed from claims that Pollack’s vehicle had been burglarized several days before the attack. Police said the alleged burglary was never reported.

Mark Ballard is being held on $5 million bond, while Adam Ballard’s bond is set at $1 million. The teenager is charged as an adult.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set from Sept. 2.