Joliet Killer Of Nathan Ballard May Die In Prison After Judge Cornelius Gives Long Sentence

JOLIET, IL — On March 5, 2024, Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius found long-time Joliet criminal Elijah Watson guilty of first-degree murder for taking the life of Nathan Ballard in October 2018 near the Belmont Athletic Club property on Joliet's east side. On Thursday morning, Watson, now 30 years old, returned to Courtroom 404 to learn his prison sentence.

Watson received 55 years and must serve his term at 100 percent — not 50 percent, or 80 percent, as some other crimes often get.

Watson was represented by Joliet criminal defense attorney Neil Patel, but at Thursday's sentencing, Watson informed the judge that he did not want to make any statement in Courtroom 404 prior to being sentenced.

By 3 p.m., Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow issued a press release revealing that Watson was sentenced to 55 years in prison for the shooting death of Nathan Ballard in 2018. Watson was found guilty of first-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon following a five-day bench trial in front of Judge Cornelius way back on March 4, 2024.

Prosecutors noted that on Oct. 28, 2018, Anthony Francimore had arranged for a drug deal with 20-year-old Nathan Ballard on the east side of Joliet, on the 500 block of Fox Street in Joliet Township. Francimore and Watson had planned to rob Ballard of $75 by pretending Francimore was going to sell him ecstasy.

After Ballard paid, Francimore entered a waiting vehicle containing four other people, including Watson in the front passenger seat. Both Ballard and his brother attempted to stop Francimore from leaving with the money, but Watson pointed a gun at them, causing them to step away. As the car fled, Watson fired multiple shots in their direction, one fatally striking Nathan Ballard in the chest. Following the robbery, Francimore used the robbery proceeds to buy drugs off Watson, before the two ultimately fled to the city of Chicago to hide from police, according to prosecutors.

During the sentencing hearing, Will County prosecutors presented evidence of the defendant’s lengthy criminal history, which included an armed robbery conviction from 2013 in which Watson was sentenced to six years in the Department of Corrections.

“Elijah Watson is a cold-blooded killer who gunned down Nathan Ballard from the getaway vehicle for no apparent reason after robbing him.” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “He will have plenty of time to reflect on this senseless act of violence during his 55-year prison sentence.”

Glasgow thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Christine Vukmir, Michael Fitzgerald, Jon Walters, former Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Katie Rabenda, Victim Witness Advocates Danette Pasdertz and Emma Rannells, Legal Secretary Janet Skiniotes, IT Specialists Albert Bailey and Braulio Guzman, Investigators Shawn Filipiak, Pat Cardwell, Scott Lustik, and Mark Reavis, as well as the Will County Sheriff’s Department for their outstanding work and commitment in this matter.

Joliet Patch previously covered the 2023 trial for Watson's co-defendant, Anthony Francimore, and Francimore was found guilty at a jury trial under the prosecution's felony murder theory. However, before Francimore's sentence took place, Judge Cornelius overturned his felony murder conviction and set him free, this past March.

The judge ordered that Francimore's murder conviction and armed robbery conviction be dismissed, and Francimore accomplished his goal without the assistance of counsel. He filed his motions from the Will County Jail after receiving the judge's permission to get rid of the Will County Public Defender's Office, who were his lawyers for his October 2023 jury trial.