Will County judge denies pretrial release for father charged with son’s murder

One of the witnesses who allegedly saw a father shoot his adopted son in a Plainfield forest preserve was a woman who had taken her dog for a walk and was participating in an online Bible class in her vehicle, a prosecutor said.

The woman had heard a “pop” that she thought was a firework, but then she saw a man later identified as Fred Beaugard, 56, of Romeoville, walk up to Tayvion Beaugard, 19, who was lying on the ground and shoot him “point blank,” said Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Senko.

At Wednesday’s detention hearing, Senko presented the details of the events that led to Fred Beaugard’s arrest on first-degree murder charges of his adopted son, who died in a shooting reported Monday at the Lake Renwick Preserve – Turtle Lake Access in Plainfield.

A judge denied Fred Beaugard’s release from jail.

After the woman had witnessed the shooting, she drove off and dialed 911, Senko said. Officers with the Forest Preserve District of Will County responded to the scene.

Senko, who noted that Fred Beaugard is a retired sergeant with the Illinois Department of Corrections, argued that the shooting was an unprovoked attack on Tayvion Beaugard. Will County Assistant Public Defender Adam Wangler said Fred Beaugard had retired from IDOC in 2021, and he was training to become a Will County auxiliary deputy.

“[Fred Beaugard] indicated he shot his son due to a lot of mental pressure,” Senko said.

Tayvion Beaugard had suffered two gunshot wounds, one to the neck and the other to the face. When officers arrived, they found a large pool of blood from his head, Senko said.

Fred Beaugard had no visible injuries to his body, he did not indicate there was an argument between them, and he did not describe Tayvion Beaugard as physically aggressive or argumentative, Senko said.

Fred Beaugard described experiencing a “rushing emotion,” Senko said.

Fred Beaugard had the 9-mm firearm inside a fanny pack when he was at the forest preserve, Senko said, and although he had a valid firearm owner’s identification card, his carry conceal license expired July 26.

He indicated to police that he would go to the area with Tayvion Beaugard to “sort things out” or talk about their problems, Senko said. The father and son were there with other family members, she said.

Tayvion Beaugard had been charged in 2023 with misdemeanor domestic battery of his father, court records show. He was released from jail July 25 on a recognizance bond and ordered to have no contact with Fred Beaugard.

Tayvion Beaugard had pleaded not guilty to the charge, and his case initially was set for jury trial this summer.