Joliet Double Murder Defendant Gets OK To Attend Dad's Funeral

Joliet IL

08 February, 2022

7:00 PM

Description

JOLIET, IL — A Joliet man who has remained in the Will County Jail for two years was recently allowed the chance to leave his detention facility, so he could attend the funeral service for his father, court records show. Tommie McDonald, now 43, has remained in the Will County Jail since Joliet police arrested him Feb. 26, 2020, several hours after the gunshot deaths of Bernard Marble, 53, and Tracy L. Williams, 45, both of Joliet, inside a vehicle on Joliet's South Chicago Street. "During the course of the investigation, officers were able to determine that McDonald was inside the vehicle along with Williams and Marble. An argument ensued and at one point McDonald shot both Williams and Marble," Joliet police announced two years ago. On Jan. 27, Will County Judge Dave Carlson issued an order indicating that McDonald may be given permission to pay his respects to his father Tommie McDonald Sr. "if resources are available to transport the defendant and bring him back from" the New Mount Tabor Church on West 115th Street in Chicago. The Will County judge made it clear that his order was subject to the rules, regulations and available man power of the Will County Jail. Originally, two of Tommie McDonald's Will County public defenders filed an emergency motion for a furlough. They reminded the judge that their client remains charged with a total of four counts of first degree murder, one count of armed habitual criminal, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. On Jan. 15, Tommie McDonald Sr. died, and the wake was set for 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Unity Funeral Parlor on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Funeral services for Tommie McDonald's father were set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 29 at New Mount Tabor in Chicago, court documents note. "The defendant, Tommie McDonald, respectfully requests this honorable court grant the defendant a furlough from the Will County Adult Detention Facility for the purpose of attending funeral services," stated Michael Renzi, Will County public defender, and Jaya Panicker Varghese, assistant public defender. On Feb. 27, 2020, Will County prosecutors announced that McDonald had spent a portion of the night of Feb, 25, 2020, riding around with Williams and smoking PCP over the course of several hours. Later that night, Williams, along with McDonald, drove to one of the Joliet gas stations near McDonough Street and South Chicago Street, and that's where they picked up Marble, according to courtroom testimony. Shortly before 1 a.m., McDonald pulled out a gun and fired several shots from inside the sports utility vehicle, prosecutors told the judge. Williams, who was the driver, was shot in the face while Marble, who sat in the rear passenger seat, was shot through the shoulder as well as his hip, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said that Joliet police recovered video surveillance evidence from the nearby Milano Bakery on South Chicago Street that showed McDonald crawling out a window of the SUV and running before several police cars arrived at the scene, near the intersection of Fifth Avenue. Tommie McDonald lived in the 1000 block of Joliet's Harrison Avenue at the time of his arrest on double murder charges. His bail remains set at $10 million. Related Joliet Patch coverage: Killer Left ID, Cellphone In Victims' Vehicle: Joliet Prosecutors Joliet Double Murder: Tommie McDonald Arrested