3 Blame Joliet Murder Victim For Events Causing His Death

JOLIET — At least three witnesses have provided Will County court officials with sworn affidavits in the slaying of a 42-year-old Joliet man, all attesting that victim Everett Cole, "made me fear for my life."

Although Joliet police and the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow have charged 21-year-old Kendrick Pullen of Chicago with first-degree murder, Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak ordered Pullen's release from the Will County Jail this week.

As part of the judge's order, there is a sealed court document, off limits to the press and everyone else, pertaining to the details of Pullen's pre-trial electronic monitoring.

However, the judge made it clear in her ruling granting the Joliet first-degree murder defendant release that Pullen must stay away from Will County unless it pertains to his ongoing court proceedings. Pullen has hired the downtown Joliet law firm of lawyers Jerry King and Marisa Bondi as his criminal defense team.

On Saturday, Oct. 5, Pullen is accused of fatally shooting Cole inside a house at 830 Wenberg St., which is part of Joliet's older industrial east side near the Canadian National rail yard. At the time of Cole's killing, there were several people inside the house.

This week, four different sworn affidavits were filed at the Will County Courthouse and made a matter of public record. They include the names of four people whose information is largely beneficial to Pullen.

One woman wrote: "Everett Cole made me fear for my life, and I thought I was going to die. Everett Cole pushed another male and myself. He came after me, in an aggressive manner, where I felt I was not able to leave. He came into the house, told everyone he was the landlord and to get out."

That woman also informed Will County officials, "I have known Everett Cole to possess a firearm in the past. On the night in question, Everett Cole came to the residence looking for me. I know who Everett Cole Jr. is, as I had been living with him prior. Mr. Cole appeared to be extremely intoxicated from an unknown substance."

One man who was present at 830 Wenberg St. when Cole was shot provided an affidavit indicating, "Everett Cole made me fear for my life.

"Mr. Cole appeared to be extremely intoxicated from an unknown substance," the man's affidavit reads. "He came into the house, told everyone he was the landlord and to get out. I observed Everett Cole go after (one of the women) in a threatening manner. He then came after me in an aggressive manner. After he pushed me, he reached into his person."

A second woman who was there when the homicide happened stated in her affidavit, "While we were both there, Everett Cole punched me in the face. After being punched, Everett Cole turned to my date, lifted his shirt in a threatening manner. This caused my date to immediately depart. Everett Cole's action made me fear for my life."

A third woman signed an affidavit, noting that "Kendrick Pullen was my invited guest. On the date in question, Oct. 5, 2024, I was the resident at 830 Wenberg St., Joliet."

Just one week before his murder, Cole was arrested by Joliet police and accused in an unrelated violent attack upon his landlord and the landlord's maintenance worker. Joliet Patch produced a story of Cole's arrest headlined: "Joliet Landlord, 60, Viciously Attacked On Pine Street: Police."

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, Cole was arrested in that case and later released on a Notice to Appear on charges of aggravated battery and two counts of battery.

English said at 9:48 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, officers responded to a house in the 300 block of Pine Street and learned that Cole had attacked two people inside an apartment.

"It is believed that the 60-year-old landlord for the apartment and 69-year-old maintenance worker arrived to change the locks of the apartment following a past dispute with Cole after he had been warned to not be at the apartment, rented by a female," English said.

At the apartment, "Cole became angry and began choking the female landlord. Cole then punched the male in the face. A male tenant of a different apartment in the building attempted to intervene, and Cole punched him in the face as well," English said.