Father, son charged with first degree murder in connection with Romeoville man’s death

ROMEOVILLE – A 42-year-old man and his teenage son have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a 55-year-old Romeoville man that is being investigated as a homicide.

Richard Pollack, 55, of Romeoville, was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m. Sunday at Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital and “appears to be the victim of a homicide,” a deputy coroner reported.

Mark Ballard, 42, of the 300 block of Healy Avenue in Romeoville, is charged with one count of first-degree murder for striking Pollack in the head with a bat, Will County State’s Attorney spokesman Charles Pelkie said.

Ballard’s son, 15-year-old Adam Ballard of Romeoville, is automatically charged with first-degree murder as an adult in addition to two counts of juvenile aggravated battery.

Mark Ballard is being held on $5 million bond and Adam Ballard is being held on $1 million bond, Pelkie said.

According to a news release from Romeoville police sent Monday afternoon, an unreported burglary to a motor vehicle and an ongoing dispute over property in previous days was the catalyst that led to Pollack’s death.

About 2 a.m. Sunday, Romeoville police responded to a call of a large fight in progress on the 400 block of Tallman Avenue. At least nine individuals were involved with the fight, some carrying baseball bats.

Officers arrived to find Pollack seriously injured. He was transported to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Mark and Adam Ballard were located in the area and taken into custody, Turvey said.

A previous news release from the department says police “want[ed] to reassure the public that there is no public safety risk due to this incident. The case is an isolated incident.”

Members of Pollack’s family declined to comment Monday.

• Shaw Media reporter Brian Stanley contributed to this report.