Former Joliet Murder Defendant At Salem Village Dies, Case Dismissed

JOLIET —William Paschall, the 72-year-old Joliet man who was arrested by the Joliet Police Department at the Salem Village towers on Rowell Avenue on charges of first-degree murder, recently died, court files show.

His charges were eventually downgraded. The pending two felony charges of aggravated battery against Paschall for his role in the death of fellow Salem Village resident Michael Pappas were dropped on Feb. 18 after Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak learned from the attorneys that Paschall had died, court documents show.

Paschall was kept in Will County's Jail from the time of his arrest by Joliet police on Nov. 18, 2023, until he was released last April 17, and then moved into a nursing home.

Because of his serious medical issues, Paschall has not appeared inside the Will County Courthouse for any of his pretrial court hearings for at least six months, court records indicate. On Jan. 21, the judge was notified by the attorneys that Paschall remained in a hospital. On Dec. 3, the court files noted that Paschall faced medical issues that included a feeding tube.

On Oct. 1, the judge learned that Paschall was placed at Imperial Care and on Sept. 13, the judge was notified that Paschall was at a long-term care facility.

One year ago, in March 2024, Joliet Patch published a court story about Paschall's criminal case headlined, 'Stick Of Dynamite' Defendant Fit For Trial In Salem Village Death.

According to the Joliet Patch article, Judge Bertani-Tomczak ruled in favor of the Will County State's Attorney's Office that the Joliet senior citizen was declared mentally fit to stand trial.

On Nov. 18, 2023, Joliet police booked Paschall into the Will County Jail on first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of fellow 61-year-old Pappas.

On Nov. 20, 2023, Joliet Patch reported that after punching Pappas in the head at least four or five times in their sixth-floor laundry room, Paschall yelled "Die mother *****" as he grabbed the victim's walker and began to strike him in the head and his body, according to Peter Wilkes of the Will County's Attorney's Office.

Joliet police interviewed Paschall at the Salem Village and later at Joliet's police station, and Paschall told the detectives "he has a temper" and his temper is "like a stick of dynamite," according to court filings.

Nursing home staff at Salem Village told Joliet police that Paschall was regarded as "a time bomb" who routinely argued with fellow residents at the Salem Village on Rowell Avenue, according to police.

After the Pappas's death, two employees of Salem Village told Joliet police that Pappas was using the washing machine and used a seated walker to move around.

Around 9 p.m., Paschall entered the laundry room on the sixth floor in his wheelchair and saw what he believed he was human feces on the washing machine. He questioned whether Pappas planned to clean up "the s**t," according to prosecutors.

Since the deadly attack, Salem Village has closed and no longer exists.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Salem Village To Close After Fatal Laundry Room Attack: WJOL

No More Murder Charges In Laundry Room Killing In Joliet