Joliet Murder Defendant Michael Kazecki Remains Free, No Trial Date After 7 Years

JOLIET, IL — Michael Kazecki, the now-45-year-old former Joliet Public District 86 teacher charged with first-degree murder in the August 2018 death of his wife, Becky Kazecki, still does not have a trial date on the calendar at the Will County Courthouse.

Unlike most of Joliet's first-degree murder defendants, Kazecki has maintained his freedom during the past seven years under the now-abolished Illinois bail bond system. Republican Will County Judge Ben Braun rejected arguments from the Will County State's Attorney's Office back 2018, seeking to establish a $5 million bail for Kazecki. Instead, the judge gave Kazecki a $2 million bail. Kazecki's family posted the necessary 10 percent bond of $200,000 and Kazecki only spent about three weeks in Will County's Jail before regaining his freedom.

Kazecki is represented by downtown Joliet criminal defense attorney Nathaniel Tate, who has continued to file pretrial motion after motion, prolonging the court case. In doing so, Becky Kazecki's family remains unable to get their loved one's case to trial, even after seven full years.

On Aug. 7, 2018, Michael Kazecki was arrested by Joliet police and charged with murder, aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery. On Aug. 8, Dr. Valerie Angelovich performed a post-mortem examination upon Becky Kazecki, who was also a Joliet public school teacher with District 86 at the time of her death.

Monday morning's Courtroom 402 appearance by Tate and Kazecki in front of the second judge to handle the case, former long-time Will County Public Defender Amy Christiansen, lasted less than 10 minutes. The judge set another hearing for Sept. 2 on Tate's January filing seeking to bar the prosecution from introducing various physical evidence and expert witnesses.

Judge Christiansen also set Sept. 22 as a status date on the case.

As June draws to a close, it does not appear likely that Michael Kazecki will have his trial this year, given that no trial date is even on the court's calendar, halfway through 2025.

Afterward, Joliet Patch's editor approached Kazecki once he walked out of the Will County Courthouse and walked back to the city of Joliet's Ottawa Street parking deck. Patch asked Kazecki several questions, but he did not respond to any of them.

Kazecki has the distinction of being one of only a handful of Joliet first-degree murder defendants who were able to post bail under the old Illinois cash bail-bond system, allowing them to remain free as their court cases continue.

At the time of his wife's homicide, Michael Kazecki and his family lived on Joliet's west side in the 700 block of McDonough Street. Prosecutors and Joliet police detective maintain that Michael Kazecki attacked his wife inside their house, resulting in her subsequent death from a beating.

Since regaining his freedom in 2018, Michael Kazecki has left Joliet. He continues to reside in Oak Lawn, court records show.

According to one of January's motions submitted on behalf of his client, Tate has asked Judge Christiansen to enter an order "that testimony and evidence with respect to the autopsy performed by Dr. Valerie Angelovich and her related report of post-mortem examination be barred in their entirety."

Tate further asked that "testimony and evidence with respect to the evaluation and analysis conducted by Dr. Marc Reyes and his related neuropathology report be barred in its entirety."

Third, Kazecki's lawyer asked that "testimony and evidence with respect to the evaluation and analysis conducted by Dr. Michelle Jorden and her related neuropathology report be barred in its entirety."

In addition, Tate filed a different motion in January, seeking to bar "the introduction of testimony and related video and audio recordings for the state's failure to produce all video and audio recordings pertaining to the investigation and interrogation of the defendant that were in the sole possession and control of the Joliet Police Department in its official government capacity."

"Michael Kazecki prays that this honorable court grant his ... motion to bar and that all information, statements, testimony and related materials in connection with materials not produced with respect to the defendant's motion for disclosure of evidence and motion to preserve evidence be barred in their entirety; and grant such other and further relief that equity and justice deem appropriate and just," Tate argued in that particular five-page motion filed more than five months ago, on Jan. 23.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

District 86 Teacher's Murder: Michael Kazecki Loses Pretrial Motion
Joliet Teacher's Homicide: Did Police Violate Husband's Rights?