Streator man charged with murder still seeks lawyer, to be arraigned March 27

A Streator man charged with strangling a woman still doesn’t have a lawyer and isn’t ready to argue detention.

Joshua R. Casey, 38, of Streator appeared Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court for a detention hearing. Prosecutors seek to have him held in La Salle County Jail while awaiting trial for allegedly killing Jessica Balma.

But when Casey finally appeared Thursday, it was to seek an additional week to hire private counsel. Casey indicated he’s close to doing so.

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. approved the postponement and set Casey over for March 27, by which time a grand jury will have reviewed two felony charges led by first-degree murder.

As previously reported, Casey was taken into custody March 6 and charged with first-degree murder (he faces 20-60 years if convicted) about two days after Balma, 37, of Streator was found dead from manual strangulation. Prosecutors say they have a suspected motive for Balma’s killing but have not disclosed it.

Police also found evidence that Balma’s body was to be hidden so Casey was additionally charged with concealment of a homicidal death, a Class 3 felony carrying two to five years in prison.

Streator shooting trial postponed

Also Thursday, another pending Streator murder trial was indefinitely postponed.

Malcolm Whitfield, 31, of Streator (also listed in DeKalb), was set for jury trial Monday for the spring 2023 shooting of three people including Shaquita Kelly, who died from her gunshot injuries.

Thursday, however, Whitfield and Public Defender Ryan Hamer requested a continuance and Whitfield agreed to continue waiving his right to speedy trial.

Whitfield, who faces a complicated sentencing range up to 145 years, remains held in La Salle County Jail pending trial.