WCSO Press Releases

Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley has been notified by the Will County Coroner’s Office that two recent inmate’s deaths were the result of natural causes.

On March 18, 2019 inmate Jacob Adejola, Sr. was remanded from court to the Adult Detention Facility to serve a 180 day sentence. He was held in the medical unit of the ADF. On May 3rd, based on abnormal lab results, the medical staff of the Correctional Care Solutions recommended he be transported to the hospital. Around 4pm, he was transported. On Saturday morning, Mr. Adejola passed away at the hospital. The Will County Coroner’s Office was contacted and the results of the report indicate that Mr. Adejola died of natural causes resulting from cardiac arrhythmia.

On April 23, 2019 at 5:45am, inmate Aaron Bowers was found by correctional staff on his bunk and unresponsive. Emergency medical assistance began on Bowers and Joliet Fire personnel was called to the Adult Detention Facility. He was transported to Presence St. Joe’s Hospital in Joliet where he was pronounced deceased at 6:24am by medical doctors. The Will County Coroner’s Office was contacted and the results of the report indicate that Mr. Bowers died of natural causes resulting from a dilated cardiomyopathy.

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On June 1, 2019, about 8:00pm, Sheriff’s deputies were called to the 23000 block of Fern Street in Plainfield Township regarding a female who had been stabbed. Upon arrival officers observed the offender, identified as Ederaldo Frantz, age 24, of 23556 Fern Street in Plainfield, sitting in the front yard of a residence with a Halloween mask on being detained by Plainfield Police who had also responded to the call. Frantz had blood on his arms and clothing and was taken into custody. He was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center for evaluation and later released to Sheriff’s deputies for questioning.

According to reports, earlier in the evening, a 50-year-old female caretaker and Frantz had a verbal argument regarding Frantz’s inappropriate use of his cell phone where he had contacted a female. Frantz was aware of his instructions pertaining to contacting females on his phone. The caretaker took Frantz’s phone and returned to the living area of the home. A short time later Frantz began playing the Halloween theme song on his iPod, put a mask on, grabbed a kitchen knife, and entered the living area of the home where the caretaker was. Frantz then began to attack her and stabbed her several times before the caretaker was able to free herself and run out of the residence.

Once outside Frantz chased the caretaker and caught her. He again began stabbing her multiple times. The caretaker was able to run to a nearby residence where a couple spoke to her and began assisting her with medical aid until police and fire personnel arrived on the scene. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was immediately taken into surgery. She suffered from over 30 stab wounds. The knife that was used in the assault had also broken off, with the blade remaining inside her chest wall. She is expected to recover.

Frantz was interviewed by detectives and transported to the Adult Detention Facility where he is being held on two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated domestic battery, and one count of attempted murder. His bond has been set for $500,000 (10% to apply).

The Fern Street residence is a residential home for developmentally disabled individuals and is managed through “Help at Home”.

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The Will County Sheriff’s Office, Investigation Unit, is continuing their search for two unknown male subjects who are believed to be responsible for the home invasion and death of 63 year-old, Francisco Aranda of the 26000 block of S. Klemme Road in Crete Township. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the home yesterday at 10:25am for a welfare check on Mr. Aranda and his wife after both did not show up for their respective jobs. Upon a search of the residence, deputies located the victims inside their 2003 Chevy Impala that was parked in the attached garage. Deputies were not able to see through the windows of the vehicle because of extreme condensation but when opening the door found the female victim inside with her hands tightly bound behind her back.

Mr. Aranda's wife, who is 59 years old, stated that two masked male subjects entered their residence the previous evening in order to rob them. Aranda and his wife were both bound with their hands behind their backs and placed inside the trunk of the Impala. In an attempt to escape, Mr. Aranda began kicking at the back seat and was able to loosen one side allowing his wife to crawl through the opening. Aranda’s wife stated that she heard her husband breathing erratically before she passed out. It is believed that Mr. Aranda’s actions most likely saved his wife’s life.

Crete Township Fire transported Aranda's wife to St. Margaret’s Hospital where she was treated for severe bruising to her hands from being tightly bound. She is expected to recover and be released sometime today.

Initial information indicates that the victims were specifically targeted by the offenders in order to rob them.

The Will County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy today and found cause of death to be inconclusive, pending toxicology and lab reports. Mr. Aranda was found with no external indications of trauma to his body.

Will County Sheriff’s detectives have been vigorously working this investigation since they responded to the scene yesterday. They will continue following leads until the offenders of this horrendous crime are caught and prosecuted.

Anyone with information regarding this incident may call the Sheriff’s Investigations Unit at 815-727-8574.
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On Monday, May 27, 2019 at approximately 4:10 AM, the Joliet Police Department Dispatch Center received a call from a third-party stating that a domestic battery was in progress on the 1200 block of Justice Lake Drive in the City of Joliet.  Joliet Police Officers responded, and observed the residence on fire.  

Entry was made into the residence, and officers were confronted with a hostage situation.  The offender was armed with a handgun, and officers were fired upon by the offender.  During the course of the incident, an officer fired at the offender.  Three officers were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The offender was pronounced deceased at the scene, and the victim was transported to Silver Cross Hospital.  The identities of all parties involved are not being released at this time, pending notification of the family.  The Will Grundy Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, and further information will be forthcoming when appropriate.

Members that responded to this incident from the Will Grundy Major Crimes Task consisted of police officers from the following agencies:  Bolingbrook Police Department, Channahon Police Department, Coal City Police Department, Lockport Police Department, Morris Police Department, Naperville Police Department, New Lenox Police Department, Romeoville Police Department, Shorewood Police Department, and the Will County Sheriff’s Office.     

The Will County Sheriff’s Office is announcing the capture and arrest of Dieontae Ricky Sparks, age 19, of Plainfield.  Dieontae Ricky Sparks was arrested on May 2, 2019 in Atlanta, GA by members of the United States Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force. 

Sparks possesses a criminal history that includes arrests for weapons, robbery, and assault.  Sparks was wanted by the Romeoville Police Department in relation to a homicide that occurred on March 30, 2019.  Sparks was alleged to have been present during a homicide where the victim was shot at close range with a sawed off shotgun.  Romeoville Police obtained an arrest warrant for unlawful use of a weapon by a felon after recovering at Sparks’ residence, what is believed to be the murder weapon.  Sparks also had an active warrant for robbery and aggravated battery.    

On April 1, 2019, the Romeoville Police Department requested the assistance of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force (GLRFTF) in locating and apprehending Sparks.

Will County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Deputies, who are also assigned to the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, worked in conjunction with Romeoville Police for weeks to locate Sparks, who was aware of the warrant and believed to have fled Illinois.

A location was developed for Sparks in Atlanta, Georgia, and information was passed to the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force.  Investigators surveilled the house for days prior, and on May 2, 2019 approached the residence.  Sparks attempted to flee the residence, but was safely apprehended without further incident.  Sparks is currently housed in DeKalb County Jail in Decatur Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, where he awaits extradition proceedings.  Upon return to Illinois, Sparks is to then face murder charges.

The photograph of Sparks provided is from a 2018 arrest. 

The Will County Sheriff's Office is announcing the capture and arrest of Mark Anthony Love, age 40, of Joliet. Mark Anthony Love was arrested on April 23, 2019 by members of the United States Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force who consist of the Sheriff's Office Warrant Division. Love possesses a criminal history that includes arrests for sexual assault and obstructing justice and is a documented gang member. He was wanted by the Will County Sheriff's Office for failure to annually report as a sex offender and violation of the sex offender registry act (for the second time). Love is required to register pursuant to an Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault conviction in Cook County in 1997 and has been sentenced previously to the Illinois Department of Corrections for failing to register.

This warrant has been an active original warrant since 2017 when Love disappeared from the Joliet area. On April 11, 2019 the Fugitive Task Force received information on his whereabouts and on April 23rd, with assistance from the United States Marshals Technical Operations Group, a location was developed in DeKalb, Illinois. Investigators set up surveillance where Love was then taken into custody.

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