Man 'Was Going To Take A Shower In Her Pool': Joliet Police Arrest Violent Offender Out Of Chicago

JOLIET, IL — A 59-year-old convicted killer out of Chicago is now being kept indefinitely in the Will County Jail following a scary incident for a Joliet family who found the violent offender lurking around their property last weekend, court files show.

Joliet police responded to the 1200 block of Ada Street and arrested a man who goes by the name Fentric Miller on charges of burglary, criminal trespass and failing to register as a violent offender to youth.

After hearing evidence of Miller's arrest, Will County Judge Derek Ewanic ruled in the prosecution's favor. The judge ordered Miller to stay in the Will County Jail under the SAFE-T-Act because Miller meets both the dangerousness and willful flight standards.

According to the petition, Joliet police responded to the house in the Forest Park area on Ada Street last Saturday, Aug. 23, after a woman notified police that Miller was on her property saying "he was going to take a shower in her pool."

The woman saw Miller inside her shed, and he was stealing a bicycle, among other items, court files show.

When the woman called for her husband, Miller jumped over the fence and tried to run away, but the woman's husband managed to stop Miller and grab him. Officers spoke with Miller at the scene, and he appeared "to be out of touch with reality," prosecutors informed Judge Ewanic.

Miller "was saying strange things along the lines of that he was patrolling to keep the area safe," prosecutors explained.

Officers discovered that the bicycle was lodged in the fence at the exit of the property and "it should be noted that officers were able to confirm ... that (Miller) had failed to register as a violent offender to youth, which is something he is required to do. This is also his second such violation," the Will County State's Attorney's Office pointed out.

Joliet Patch found that Fentric Miller does not appear to be his real name, rather, it's one of his many aliases. The Illinois State Police violent offender registry reveals his real name is Demetrius Cogwell, and he is a 10-year registrant who is non-compliant with the Chicago Police Department.

The violent offender registry had him residing on West Yale Avenue in Chicago, and his aliases are as follows:

• COGWELL, DEMETRIS L
• LIL MICK, X
• CALL, JAMES
• MILLER, FENTRIC
• MILLER, DEMETRICE
• MICK, X
• MILLER, DEMETRIUS
• COGNELL, DEMETRIUS

Although the registry indicates Cogwell — who turns 60 years old next week — committed the crime of murder in Cook County when he was 56 years old and his victim was 18, Joliet Patch found the Illinois State Police information may not be accurate.

After all, an appeals court ruling posted online indicates that on May 4, 1995, Demetrius Cogwell was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1992 murder of Marlon Genus. Cogwell was also convicted of concealment of homicidal death. Cogwell was sentenced to 55 years and 5 years’ imprisonment on those charges, respectively.