Joliet man pleads guilty to fatal stabbing of girlfriend

A man pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of his girlfriend whom he stabbed during an argument in 2018 at the former Fairview Homes in Joliet.

Christopher Beale, 35, Joliet had spent about five-and-half years charged with the first-degree murder of Marcedes Flakes, 28, who died following the stabbing incident on Oct. 1, 2018.

That changed on Monday when prosecutors filed a new charge of second-degree murder. Beale agreed to plead guilty to the offense before Will County Judge Dan Rippy.

“Today, I’m just taking responsibility for my actions,” Beale said.

Under second-degree murder, a defendant who kills someone else will believe the circumstances may justify or exonerate the killing but that belief is considered unreasonable.

In past court filings, Beale had claimed Flakes struck him with a cooking pan and the two struggled over a knife, which he managed to grab from Flakes.

Flakes suffered a single stab wound in the back, which nicked an artery and caused her to bleed out, according to Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Capelli. He said there was evidence that Flakes’ DNA was on the handle of the knife.

Capelli told Rippy that Flakes’ family were aware and understood the plea agreement.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors recommended Beale serve 50% of an 11-year prison sentence and receive credit for the time he served in jail and on electronic monitoring.

Beale was released from jail last November while still charged with first-degree murder. Following Monday’s plea hearing, he was handcuffed by Will County sheriff’s deputies so he could be taken back to jail.