5 people killed over 5 days in Joliet, Crest Hill

Five people have been killed in shootings over the course of five days in Joliet and nearby Crest Hill.

Todd Taylor, 20, of Rockdale, was the fourth victim of gun violence in Joliet and the fifth victim overall in Will County as of Wednesday.

Taylor was killed Tuesday while he was in the driveway of a residence in the 300 block of Grant Avenue, Joliet police said. An autopsy on Wednesday revealed he suffered multiple gunshot wounds, the Will County Coroner’s Office said.

On Friday, William Spruell, 21, was gunned down outside the Crest Hill Taco Bell. Early Saturday morning, Treshon Holland, 24, and Treveal Barefield, 18, were fatally shot in an apartment on Parkwood Drive.

On Tuesday, Floyd Faint Sr., 47, was gunned down on Francis Street near Henderson Avenue, police said. Faint was killed on the same day and just hours before Taylor.

Faint’s son, Floyd Faint Jr., was found shot to death on the I&M Canal trail path in July.

Before the string of deadly shootings that began last Friday, the last murder case in Joliet involved the deaths of Tracy Williams, 45, and Bernard Marble, 53, on Feb. 26 on South Chicago Street. Tommie McDonald, 41, was arrested and charged with the murders of Williams and Marble.

In Will County, the last fatal shooting was the tragic murder-suicide case where Patrick Jesernik, 54, shot and killed Cheryl Schriefer, 59, before turning the gun on himself, according to Will County Deputy Chief Dan Jungles.

Officers have apprehended four people during the investigation of Taylor’s death on Tuesday, according to Joliet police. The people were riding in a black Cadillac SUV that officers spotted after hearing gunshots about 9 p.m. in the area of Fifth Avenue and Sherman Street, police said.

The SUV failed to stop for the officers, who then pursued the vehicle on Interstates 80 and 55 until they arrived at the village of Diamond , police said. The SUV stopped on West Coal City Road and the occupants fled the vehicle.

Two people were caught immediately and the other two were found in the 2500 block of East Stellon Street, police said.

Officers have apprehended two of the four persons of interest connected with the fatal shooting of Treshon Holland, 24, and Treveal Barefield, 18. Tenzell Terry, 21, of Joliet and Jhakiren Pickens, 20, of Lockport were arrested on charges of home invasion and criminal trespass.

Police are still searching for Michael Frazier, 20, and Jeremiah Frazier, 19, in connection with the Parkwood Drive killings.

A criminal complaint filed against Terry and Pickens alleged they entered a man’s apartment and shot him and another man. The complaint alleged Terry and Pickens were armed with a firearm, used force or threatened to use imminent force.

Joliet police Lt. Christopher Botzum did not have information Wednesday on the circumstances of the Parkwood Drive incident or the condition of the victims named in the complaint.

He also did not have information on whether Michael Frazier and Jeremiah Frazier have been apprehended and if any suspects have been identified in connection with Faint’s killing.