Deaths In Des Plaines River: Joliet Police To Host Public Forum

JOLIET — Practically every year, the Joliet Police Department and the Joliet Fire Department are called out to investigate a death — often multiple deaths annually — along the deep and dangerous Des Plaines River canal. On April 19, the Joliet Fire Department recovered the body of missing 37-year-old resident Robert Long.

In March, the lifeless body of Deshawn J. Green, a 37-year-old Joliet man, washed up at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet Township.

Over at City Hall, a couple of grieving mothers are a regular presence at Joliet City Council meetings, suggesting that the rising death toll within Joliet's canal is not because of intentional drownings, but rather the work of a methodical serial killer who is supposedly grabbing people late at night and tossing them into the river.

Minnie Heath, mother of 2021 Joliet canal drowning victim Anthony Dunn, has continued to address the City Council and make regular Facebook videos. She's trying to convince citizens of a serial killer lurking around Joliet, targeting young Black men and throwing their bodies into the canal.

During one of her 2022 Facebook videos, Heath compared her son's death to the case of missing Crest Hill resident and North Raynor Avenue Pizzas By Marchelloni worker, Wendy Gessing, whose vehicle turned up along Joliet's 400 block of Buell Avenue.

"I demand answers," Heath declared in her video. "I say it's 2022 and there's racism in the Joliet Police Department. Two missing people, two missing vehicles, two different races and two different cases. I say racism. You be the judge. Also, I have given the Des Plaines River a new name, the Death Plaines River.

"How many bodies were pulled from this river? What have they done about it? I (ask) Black leadership to look into this. I demand answers. Thanks, you all, share this on social media ... share it with the newspaper, the Joliet Patch, your friends, whoever, appreciate you all, love you."

On Thursday, the city of Joliet's new media relations director, Rosemaria DiBenedetto, issued a press release announcing the Joliet Police Department is convening its first-ever public safety open forum to discuss what Joliet is doing to address crime.

The public forum will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, inside the air-conditioned theater of the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park, located at 201 W. Jefferson St.

“The purpose of the open forum is to exchange accurate information about high-profile cases, supported by data and facts. We aim to address residents' concerns and inform them about JPD's actions and future plans,” Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans remarked in the city's press release. “Furthermore, we want to hear from residents about the events in their neighborhoods, fostering a two-way communication process.”

This week, Evans indicated that the number of deaths along the Des Plaines River will be one of the topics addressed during the public forum, which will probably last from 7 to 9 p.m.

In addition to the two Joliet drownings from March and April, Joliet Patch has covered several deaths along the canal during the past several years.

Here's a sampling of stories:

January 2020: The body found floating in the water south of Joliet on Saturday morning was Diego "DJ" Santiago Jr., a 17-year-old teenager from Chicago whose father reported him missing back in November, the Will County Coroner's Office announced. Romeoville Patch first reported on the disappearance of Diego Santiago Jr. Diego had been missing since Monday, Nov. 18, after last being seen in the Joliet area.

January 2021: The Will County Coroner's Office has identified Joliet's drowning victim as 39-year-old resident Cesar Robles. He was pronounced dead at 10:53 p.m. after his body was recovered by Joliet firefighters searching the Des Plaines River, in the 300 block of North Joliet Street.The drowning marked the second night in a row involving someone jumping to their death in the frigid and dirty waters of Joliet's Des Plaines River canal.

The Joliet Police Department was called to the Jackson Street Bridge after Robles had jumped in the Des Plaines River. Officers could see Robles in the water, and while officers were trying to take measures to rescue the man, he went underwater and never resurfaced, the Joliet Police Department stated.

March 2021: the Will County Coroner announced that the body of 38-year-old Joliet resident Anthony Dunn was recovered from the Des Plaines River south of Joliet. Dunn's body was floating near the 700 block of Railroad Street. The Illinois State Police were investigating Dunn's death. An autopsy revealed that Dunn drowned, the coroner's office said.

April 2021: the naked body discovered about five miles downstream from downtown Joliet has been identified as 26-year-old Dorien Smith. Smith had been missing and presumed to be a drowning victim since the middle of January.

September 2021: The Will County Coroner's Office identified the body recovered from the Des Plaines River near Brandon Road Locks and Dam as 39-year-old Joliet resident Robert Britton. Joliet's Police Department previously announced it was seeking the community's help in finding Britton, who was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans, and possibly a black Ecolab coat. Police said he went missing from the 0 to 100 block of North Broadway Street.

September 2021: The man whose body was pulled from the Des Plaines River was identified as Quintin L. Bass, 42, of Joliet. Bass' body was discovered near North Bluff Street and West Jefferson Street, not far from the Jefferson Street Bridge. Joliet police issued a news release saying his body was spotted by a boater at 11:23 a.m.

September 2022: Joliet police say a body was discovered floating in the Des Plaines River on Tuesday morning. The victim has been identified by the Will County Coroner's Office as missing 28-year-old Joliet resident Kevontay Williams. Joliet Patch previously reported that Williams was reported missing Aug. 18, and he was last seen on Aug. 4.

Authorities learned of Monday's incident at 7:15 a.m. along the 500 block of Railroad Street, which is close to the Des Plaines River.

February 2023: The Joliet Fire Department recovered the body of 51-year-old domestic violence suspect Rodney Bayless, who jumped into the frigid waters of the downtown Joliet canal around 4 a.m. About two hours earlier, Joliet police were called to the Heritage Place Apartments at 400 North Bluff Street for a domestic incident around 3:40 a.m. A woman was attacked by her boyfriend, Joliet police noted.

While investigating the crime, Joliet officers heard a man's voice yelling for help from the nearby Des Plaines River, Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said.

May 2023: Will County Coroner Laurie Summers announced the death of Jason C. Bingham, a 24-year-old Joliet resident. Bingham's disappearance had been publicized by the Joliet Police Department over the past several days. A missing person's poster indicated that Bingham had been missing since May 2, and he was last seen in the Cathedral Area of Joliet's west side.

The Joliet Fire Department said Bingham's body was found in the area just south of the McDonough Street Bridge on the east side of the Des Plaines River. Joliet's Fire Department made the water recovery and brought Bingham's body to shore.

"We Know We Still Have A Lot Of Work To Be Done"

At the June 26 public forum, Joliet police will also talk about their latest efforts to install more signs and cameras along different portions of the river.

"We want to provide some factual information to the community, we have some plans to improve safety on the riverfront," Evans remarked. "And we do want to hear from the public and share some information with them."

Chief Evans proposed the idea of a public safety open forum to facilitate a two-way exchange of dialogue. Evans envisions this becoming an annual event, likening it to a focused state-of-the-city address on public safety.

During the forum, the Joliet police plan to present violent crime statistics within the community "and share success stories at the Joliet Police Department."

“Depending on the level of resident participation, I would like to see this become an annual event,” Evans remarked. "We're excited to work with the community, and we're excited to hear from the community. I don't want people to think that our job is completed. We know we still have a lot of work to be done."