Paroled Joliet Man Must Remain In Will Co. Jail 'After He Stated He Would Kill Her': Prosecutor

JOLIET, IL — In March 2023, Will County Judge Derek Ewanic sentenced Joshua Mercado of Joliet to three years and six months at the Illinois Department of Corrections after he pleaded guilty to aggravated domestic battery against a woman. This week, Mercado and Ewanic crossed paths in the Will County Courthouse, again. This time, in Ewanic's newest judicial assignment, Courtroom 202, where the veteran associate judge decides whether criminal defendants should be released under the SAFE-T-Act.

After learning details of Mercado's most recent arrest, last weekend by Joliet police, Judge Ewanic ruled that Mercado will remain in the Will County Jail. Will County's State's Attorneys charged Mercado with a total of seven new crimes: two charges of aggravated battery/strangulation, aggravated domestic battery, two crimes of domestic battery involving at least one prior conviction, unlawful restraint and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence to the police.

Joliet police were called to St. Joe's hospital on Oct. 26, and Mercado's latest victim told them she was staying with him at the Red Roof Inn at 1750 McDonough Street in Room 213, court files show.

According to prosecutors, the woman and Mercado were drinking alcohol on Oct. 25 and an argument ensued. That's when Mercado "punched her face and head multiple times," court files show. "She fell to the floor. He kicked her about the body, causing an injury to her ribs. He was also choking her and took her phone."

Will County's petition to deny Mercado's pretrial release noted that "he would not let her leave and stated he should kill her."

The next morning, Oct. 26, she texted one of her friends for help and her friend drove her to St. Joe's hospital. Mercado's victim suffered "a swollen forehead, a black eye, a chipped tooth, a bruised back in the area of her ribs and abrasions on her knees and elbows," court documents outlined.

"She was having difficulty breathing when she arrived at St. Joe's," prosecutors added.

Joliet police went to the Red Roof Inn to find Mercado, but he was already gone. However, "he had been repeatedly calling and texting her in the following days. She informed the officers he was at the Motel 8 in Joliet" and he was arrested Nov. 1, court files show.

Prosecutors informed Judge Ewanic that Mercado was on parole from for his 2023 aggravated domestic battery conviction. In that case, a 2022 arrest by the Will County Sheriff's Office, the victim was a different woman.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, Mercado was paroled from the Vienna Correctional Center this past March 14, after being admitted to the DOC on March 8, 2023. The Joliet man has one tattoo of skulls with flames on his right arm, another tattoo sporting a Jason mask with a knife on the same arm, and a tattoo on his left arm stating the word, "Town."

Mercado's last tattoo is on his chest, reading, "Shon."

Thursday marked Mercado's birthday. He turns 26 inside his Will County Jail cell.