Joliet Murder Defendant Michael Kazecki Wants To Stop Prosecutors From Revealing Autopsy Findings

JOLIET, IL — Joliet first-degree murder defendant Michael Kazecki and his private counsel defense lawyer Nathaniel Tate continue to pursue legal tactics trying to prevent the Will County State's Attorney's Office and the victim's family of Becky Kazecki from having a trial. This month, the state's attorney's office filed its response to the defense motion asking Will County Judge Amy Christiansen to bar the prosecution from presenting physical evidence and expert witnesses.

"First, the defendant has cited no authority that would warrant a court completely barring Dr. Arangelovich or any other members of the Will County Coroner's Office from testifying to any evidence related to the autopsy in this case," argued Assistant State's Attorney Erin Krone. "The defendant has failed to plead any actual prejudice or any nexus between his asserted flaw in the chain of custody for the 11 slides and the autopsy itself. Thus, his motion to bar all testimony related to the autopsy should be denied ... The People of the State of Illinois respectfully request that this honorable court deny the defendant's motion to bar physical evidence and expert testimony."

The Will County prosecutor reminded Judge Christiansen that "the defendant has filed a motion to bar physical evidence and expert testimony in this matter. Specifically, the defendant seeks to bar the introduction of the testimony of three expert witnesses related to the autopsy findings: Dr. Valerie Arangelovich, the forensic pathologist who completed the autopsy on Rebecca Kazecki; Dr. Marc Reyes, a neuropathologist who received the brain and spinal cord of Rebecca Kazecki and examined histology slides containing cuttings from the brain and spinal cord .... and Dr. Michelle Jorden, a neuropathologist retained by the state after the state became aware that Dr. Reyes would be unavailable to testify to his findings in the case."

According to prosecutors, "first, the defendant contends that testimony should be barred based on a purported flaw in the chain of custody for the histology slides. Secondly, the defendant argues that Dr. Jorden's 'Report of Neuropathology' does not properly contain a legal opinion and provides no expert opinion as to what purportedly occurred. From these two premises, the defendant asserts that the aforementioned evidence and testimony that he seeks to bar is unreliable, lacks an appropriate foundational certainty and is more prejudicial than probative."

In the prosecution's filing, Krone has asked Judge Christiansen to deny Kazecki's motion, outlining the following reasons.

"First, the defendant has failed to establish that the 11 histology slides that Dr. Reyes viewed in authoring his neuropathology report did not contain the cuttings that were taken from the brain and or spinal cord of Rebecca Kazecki. The defendant acknowledges that Dr. Reyes received the brain and spinal cord from the Will County Coroner's Office on Nov. 27, 2018. In fact, the state has tendered the complete coroner's file in this case which contained a memo by deputy coroner Piper stating that he retrieved the brain and some spine from the Will County Morgue and personally transported the brain and spine to Mt. Sinai Hospital ... in Chicago on Nov. 27. 2018 ... Notably, a handwritten note appears on the bottom of the UPS receipt containing three names one of which is 'Kazecki.'"

As for Kazecki's suggestion there may be an issue with the chain of command, prosecutors informed Judge Christiansen, "the evidence in the case contradicts this suggestion. The defendant was previously tendered a photograph of the slides in this case ... each of those slides is labeled with the name 'Kazecki' and has a preprinted label of 'Mount Sinai Hospital,'" prosecutors reminded the judge. "Additionally, the defendant has failed to present any actual evidence of tampering or substitution."

Back in early October, Judge Christiansen set a pretrial hearing for Feb. 9, 2026, to handle any additional pretrial motions from Tate or prosecutors at the State's Attorney's Office. If his July 13, 2026, jury trial date stands, that would mean that Michael Kazecki waited nearly eight entire years before going to trial at the Will County Courthouse.

At the time of his early August 2018 arrest by the Joliet police detectives, both Kazecki and his wife were employed as teachers for Joliet Public School District 86. He taught at Washington Junior High School while his wife taught at Gompers Junior High School. Michael Kazecki is accused of beating his wife inside their blue two-story Joliet house in the 700 block of McDonough Street.

Why Is Michael Kazecki Free?

Michael 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.

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.

Related Joliet Patch coverage of Michael Kazecki's murder case:

Joliet Murder Defendant Who Has Avoided Standing Trial Loses Latest 'Irrelevant' Motion: Judge

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

District 86 Teacher's Murder: Michael Kazecki Loses Pretrial Motion

Joliet Teacher's Homicide: Did Police Violate Husband's Rights?