Murder At Joliet House Party Along Maple Road: This Week's Jury Trial Is Not Going To Happen After All

JOLIET, IL — Joliet first-degree murder defendant Jerald Shumpert was supposed to have his jury trial begin in Courtroom 502. As is often the case at the Will County Courthouse, a very last-minute continuance was granted, and Shumpert's trial has been delayed until Oct. 26.

Shumpert, now in his early 50s, has retained private defense counsel, attorney Paul Napolski. Actually, Shumpert is one of the few Joliet murder defendants who has regained his freedom and he did so under the now-abolished Illinois cash bail-bond system. The sheriff's office indicated that was booked into the Will County Jail back on March 9, 2022 and then he obtained the necessary bail on Aug. 26, 2022. Court records indicate that Shumpert's bail was reduced to $500,000 on Aug. 11, 2022.

Back in April 2022, the Will County Sheriff's Office announced that Will County Jail inmate Shumpert was now being charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Feb. 4, 2022 house party killing of 26-year-old Leelinn Fox of Joliet. The Will County Sheriff's Office arrested Shumpert on March 9, 2022.

"It was reported to deputies on scene that there was a party being held at the house, that consisted of only friends and family," the Will County Sheriff's Office announced. "Furthermore, there were approximately 20 to 25 people attending the party. However, when deputies first arrived at scene, there were only five individuals remaining at the residence."

At the time of Shumpert's initial arrest, the sheriff's agency indicated Shumpert was being charged with being an armed habitual criminal and unlawful use of a gun by a felon. He was also considered the only suspect in the shooting death of Fox, who died after being shot at an overnight house party on Maple Road, right off Briggs Street in Joliet Township, the sheriff's office announced at the time of the Joliet man's arrest.

Back in February 2022, one of the long-time neighbors told Joliet Patch's editor that the overwhelming majority of homes in the neighborhood are owner-occupied, but the house on Maple Road where the slaying happened has become a rental unit in recent years.

The neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said the house on Maple Road constantly has house parties and there's been numerous occasions where he's called the Will County Sheriff's Office to make a noise complaint.

He said there have been fights in the middle of the night, at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. that take place right in the middle of the Maple Road, as problems from the house party spill out into the road.

Other times, he said, he's been awoken by the loud booming music that makes his house shake.

The neighbor told Joliet Patch he was not surprised to learn that a house party at the dwelling on Maple Road led to someone's violent death.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Not Charged With Murder: Joliet Defendant Seeks Lower Bail

Joliet House Party Homicide: Neighbor Not Surprised By Killing

Joliet Homicide: Sheriff Arrests Jerald Shumpert, 47