Joliet Murder Defendant Who Spent 10 Years Awaiting Trial Is No Longer In Will County Jail

JOLIET, IL — April marks the first time since November 2015 that Rodolfo Trujillo has not slept on a bed or eaten his breakfast, lunch and dinner meals within the confines of the Will County Jail.

Joliet Patch has learned that the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow recently worked out a plea bargain with Trujillo and his fourth and final criminal defense lawyer, downtown Joliet attorney Chuck Bretz.

According to the plea bargain, the first-degree murder charge was dropped as Trujillo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated battery. The amended criminal complaint now states that on Nov. 8, 2015, Trujillo "stabbed Rudy Valdez about the body thereby causing the death of Rudy Valdez and at the time of the killing he believed the circumstances ... would justify or exonerate the killing ... but his belief was unreasonable."

As for the aggravated battery crime, Trujillo admitted he was responsible for a second stabbing, and he "knowingly and without legal justification stabbed Andres Ochoa and in doing so caused great bodily harm to Andres Ochoa."

Joliet police arrested Trujillo the day after the homicide.

In Courtroom 404, Trujillo received a prison term of 19 years at the Illinois Department of Corrections for second-degree murder and another two-year prison term that will be served after he is done serving the murder conviction.

Although Trujillo received a 21-year sentence in total, he will not be staying at the Department of Corrections until the year 2046.

Trujillo shows a projected parole date of Jan. 27, 2026, from the Illinois River Correctional Center, which is located in Fulton County.

That's because Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius gave Trujillo credit for the time he already served inside the Will County Jail awaiting his trial, which was 3,420 days, Nov. 8, 2015 through March 19, 2025. In addition, Judge Cornelius gave Trujillo another 45 days of credit for successfully completing a substance abuse program.

Finally, Trujillo gained another 56 days of credit for serving 112 days in a self-improvement program at the Will County Jail.

On Thursday, Bretz told Joliet Patch that the 21-year prison term for his client was "a fair agreement" for all the parties" and that Trujilo already served a substantial amount because he's been at the jail for over nine years.

"We believe we were able to establish a self-defense component for Mr. Trujillo's actions on that day, and he certainly believed he was acting in self-defense when the event occurred. Any time there is a loss of life, it's a real tragedy," Bretz noted.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Year 8: Joliet Murder Defendant Still In Jail Awaiting Trial

Joliet's Rodolfo Trujillo Did Not Commit 1st Degree Murder: Witness

Year 7: Joliet Murder Defendant Still In Jail Awaiting Trial

48 Murder Defendants In Will County Await Trial