WCSO Press Releases

Will County Sheriff’s Investigators have taken the prime suspect into custody from the Halloween shooting that left Holly Mathews and Jonathan Ceballos dead and several injured.

 Through multiple interviews, videos, and tips Sheriff’s detectives were able to develop information regarding the suspect, Joskar Sebastian Ramos, age 18, of 905 Gael Drive in Joliet.  Ramos had an active Will County warrant on unrelated weapons offenses that occurred while he was a juvenile.  On November 3, detectives were able to obtain a search warrant for Ramos’ residence due to that warrant.

 In the early morning hours the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Unit were stationed at the residence and around 9:45am deputies set up a perimeter of the home and attempted to serve the warrant.  Deputies announced their presence several times while outside the home.  During the course of knocking on the doors and announcing their presence, they observed Joskar Ramos look out a second story window and then disappear from view.  Deputies continued their attempts to have Ramos come to the door with negative results.  As the deputies continued their efforts, a deputy observed a gun that had been placed outside of the window onto the roof of the first floor. 

 Given the totality of the circumstances and with a reasonable belief that Ramos was still inside, detectives determined to force entry into the residence.  Upon doing so, Ramos began to respond, followed commands, and was taken into custody by deputies. 

 Deputies took into evidence a semi-automatic 9mm Glock from the first floor roof.  The Warrant Unit also conducted a search of the residence and collected numerous items of evidentiary value that is being analyzed at this time.

 Joskar Ramos was transported to the Sheriff’s Investigations Unit where he was questioned about his involvement in the Halloween party shooting.  Ramos exercised his right to an attorney.   Ramos has been charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, obstructing justice and illegal possession of ammunition and is being held on a $1million bond.  At this time, no charges are related to the murders.  Detectives and the Will County State’s Attorney Office are actively working together in hopes of bringing additional charges.  

 Sheriff’s detectives continue to follow all tips and leads in their pursuit to arrest the second shooter in this incident. 

 Additional information will be made available when appropriate. 

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Will County Sheriff’s detectives remain vigilant on the search for partygoers that attended the Halloween Party at 1018 E. Jackson Street, Joliet.  Detectives have currently interviewed over 70 individuals. Most have been cooperative but many refuse to cooperate. With the assistance of witness statements, videos, and tips, detectives are aware that several additional individuals that were there have not come forward.  Detectives are actively looking for these individuals so the Sheriff’s Office is urging every person who was there to come forward. 

Additionally, detectives continue to cultivate leads as they sift through a substantial amount of electronic media in hopes of developing further evidence to capture and arrest the offenders of this heinous shooting.

Victim/hospital update:   One male victim remains in critical condition.  Two victims continue to be treated for non-life threatening injuries and the six remaining victims have been released.

As stated in previous releases, the hosts of this party initially invited some friends over for a costume party.  The invitation spread over social media, which led to several individuals to attend who were unknown to the host or other invitees.  Sheriff’s detectives have confirmed that the hosts were not gang affiliated and the deceased victims were merely innocent partygoers. 

Additional information will be provided when appropriate.

Media contact person:    Kathy Hoffmeyer

                                        Public Information Officer

                                        khoffmeyer@willcosheriff.org

The Will County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation into a mass shooting that occurred on 10/31/2021 around 12:30am at 1018 E. Jackson Street in Joliet Township. Sheriff’s detectives have learned that the residents of this home initially invited friends for a Halloween party using a social media site.  The invitation spread over social media, which attracted multiple individuals to attend who had no association to the hosts of the party.

It should be known that it is not uncommon to receive numerous noise complaints on weekends and especially holiday weekends in the unincorporated areas of Joliet Township. The Sheriff’s Office did not receive any calls for service originating from 1018 E. Jackson Street on October 30 or 31, up until the time of the shooting.  The Sheriff’s Office did receive three noise complaint calls and were already in the area at the time of the calls.  Due to the complaints, the area Sergeant remained in the vicinity and was able to respond to the scene immediately upon hearing the first gunfire.  The immediate response was instrumental to a rapid medical aid response.

Multiple gunshots were fired during the incident.  It appears that this incident was gang related.  Detectives have collected a substantial amount of evidence and are continuing to interview witnesses.  Some victims and partygoers are being uncooperative.

Nine people were transported to area hospitals by emergency personnel.  The victims suffered various injuries from fleeing the scene and gunfire.  Sheriff’s detectives have spoken with medical professionals at the hospitals this morning.  The conditions of the injured victims are as follows:  one victim remains in critical condition.  Five victims have been treated and released. Three victims remain in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  As initially reported,  two individuals died from gunshot wounds; a female and a male, both 22 years of age.

 Sheriff’s detectives are advising that multiple personal items have been recovered from the scene.  If any attendee is looking to recover their property, please call the Sheriff’s Office Evidence Unit at 815-727-4736.  An appointment is needed.   

At this time, the Sheriff’s Office is asking every person who was in attendance of this party to call 815-727-8574 to speak with a detective.   Detectives are seeking any video, individual social media communications, or any bit of information that may assist them in this investigation.  You may also Submit a Tip at www.willcosheriff.org.

The ultimate responsibility of this crime falls on the offenders.  With the amount of attendees at this party, we are most certain that several people know who committed this atrocious and deadly shooting.  The Sheriff’s Office is imploring those people to come forward in order to bring justice to the survivors, deceased victims, and their families.

Additional information will be provided when appropriate.

                             ________________________________________________ 

Media contact person:  Public Information Officer, Kathy Hoffmeyer

                                      khoffmeyer@willcosheriff.org

On 10/31/2021, at approximately 12:39 AM, a patrol sergeant with the Will County Sheriff’s Office heard ten (10) to twelve (12) gunshots being fired in the area of Jackson Street and Walnut Street in Joliet Township.  The sergeant responded to the area of gunfire and observed over one-hundred people fleeing, running eastbound on Jackson Street.  The sergeant then proceeded on foot to the area of Jackson Street and Grinton Avenue, where he believed the gunfire to be coming from.  The sergeant was advised by fleeing witnesses that the shooting occurred at 1018 E. Jackson Street in the backyard of the residence.

Additional sheriff’s office personnel and outside police agencies responded to the scene, and responding personnel located multiple individuals shot in the backyard and at nearby houses.  Initial responding personnel began performing life saving measures and wound triage on numerous individuals on scene.  While sheriff’s office personnel were on scene, additional shots were heard in the immediate area.

Over a dozen individuals were injured by gunfire and transported to local area hospitals.  In addition, the Will County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that two victims died as a result of their injuries on scene.  Four more victims were transported to local area hospitals with life threatening injuries.  The identities of the two victims are being withheld at this time, until family members can be notified.

This investigation is in its early stages, and Will County Sheriff’s Office personnel are still on scene preserving the crime scene and collecting evidence.  Detectives with the Will County Sheriff’s Office began conducting interviews at various locations and the Will/Grundy Major Crimes Task Force was activated in order to assist detectives with conducting interviews.

Responding deputies with the Will County Sheriff’s Office were able to determine that a Halloween party was being held at a residence located at 1018 E. Jackson Street in Joliet Township.  The shooting occurred outside the residence near a DJ booth that was set up in the backyard.  Initial estimates indicate that there was close to 200 people attending the party.

Witnesses indicated to detectives that there were two shooters at the party.  The shooting occurred from an elevated position on a porch looking down over the crowd.  The first shooter is described as an average sized, Hispanic Male with facial hair, wearing a red hoodie, a black flat billed hat, and dark pants.  The second shooter is described as an average sized, light-skinned black male or Hispanic wearing a yellow hoodie and ski mask.

The Will County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in trying to identify individuals that attended this Halloween party.  If anyone has information, cellphone pictures or video of the party, or potential suspect information, you are urged to contact the Will County Sheriff’s Office.  This investigation is still on-going and additional information will be provided when appropriate.

 If anyone has any information, or was a witness to this incident, please contact the Detective Danielle Strohm at 815-727-8574 at extension 4930.  You can also contact her by email at dstrohm@willcosheriff.org.  If you wish to remain anonymous, we urge you to submit a tip on the on the Will County Sheriff’s website at www.willcosheriff.org/enforcement/submit-a-crime-tip, or on the Will County Sheriff’s Office App that is available in iOS and Android platforms.  You can also contact Will County Crime Stoppers by telephone at 800-323-6734, or by computer at www.crimestoppersofwillcounty.org/submit-a-tip/. 

In the last few weeks, the Will County Sheriff's Office has taken reports from victims who have been defrauded of money by offenders (scammers) posing as law enforcement officers.  In each instance, the scammer identifies himself as a detective with the Sheriff's Office and informs the victim that they have a Failure to Appear (FTA) warrant for charges alleging that the victim has received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) money that they were not qualified to receive.  The scammer advises the victim that they can pay the warrant fees over the phone in order to avoid arrest.  The victims hold professional licenses and the scammer tells them that their license may be in jeopardy if they are arrested.  The victims, although have never applied for PPP loans, are in fear of losing their license and are convinced that they should pay to have the warrant lifted while they clear up the (phony) criminal charges.

The scammer instructs victims to purchase Green Dot Money Pak cards at retail stores for up to $400 per card.  He then instructs the victim to give him the numbers on the back of the card so that he can redeem the money.  If the victim exceeds their daily limit on their debit cards, he instructs them to call their bank and have the limit lifted.  In some instances, the scammer remains on the line while the victim three-way calls the bank so that he can acquire information shared over the phone, such as the account number.

Occasionally, the victim questions the identity of the scammer and he offers to call them back from the Will County Sheriff's landline.  He then places a call using a "spoof" card, which allows him to have any number he selects show up on the victim's caller ID.  He has the Sheriff's Office nyumber show on the display, which gives the victim greater confidence that the scammer is truly a member of the Sheriff's Office.  Furthermore, he provides the name of an actual Will County detective, deputy, sergeant, lieutenant, etc.  This furthers the victim's confidence.  Lastly, the scammer provides the name of actual Will County judges stating that they have signed the warrant.  Any online search conducted by the victim will then verify that the judge is indeed part of the 12th Circuit Court in Will County, again, giving the victim greater confidence that the call/warrant is real.

Scammers are very adept at their trade and use convincing language, seemingly accurate facts, and tone in their voices to convince innocent law-abiding citizens that they are in great jeopardy.  The scammer engages inn a course of conduct that is not only criminal but also shameful and repulsive.

CITIZENS BEWARE!  No member of the Sheriff's Office or any law enforcements agency will accept payment for citations, bail, bond, warrant service, processing fees, or anything else over the phone or email.  Police will never ask for your bank information or for you to purchase cards or conduct wire transfers.  If you ever have doubts whether a caller is truly a member of our office, or is attempting to reach you, please call Laraway Communications Center at 815-727-8575 and ask to have a deputy meet with you in person.

All Will County warrants can be verified at:  www.willcountywarrants.com

NEVER GIVE OUT PERSONAL INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE.

If you are a victim, please come forward and file a report with the Sheriff's Office.  We also suggest that victims save notes, phone logs, voicemails, receipts, gift card/Money Pak cards, bank records, or any materials that can serve as evidence in the investigation.

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Lockport resident, Derrick Wing has been found and was returned safely to his home late last night.   The Sheriff's Office would like to thank the public, media, and police agencies for their assistance in locating Wing.

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