Mother of Slain Ex-Con’s Daughter Suing Alleged Killer

JOLIET, IL — The mother of a slain ex-convict’s daughter filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the man charged with killing him the day he got out of prison.

James Francis Hess, 65, was arraigned on first-degree murder charges the same day he was sued for allegedly gunning down 29-year-old Nathan Hofkamp.

Hess was represented at his arraignment by attorneys Jeff Tomczak and Edward Masters.

“James Hess is extremely remorseful for what has occurred,” Masters said, telling how his client “has been a productive member of our community for over 40 years” and is a retired union boilermaker.

“Based upon the life-threatening circumstances he was confronted with, we believe he was acting within the law and we will defend his actions to the fullest extent of the law,” Masters said.

Hess was sued by Crystal Carman, the mother of Nathan Hofkamp’s 10-year-old daughter, Natalie Hofkamp.

“Natalie and Nathan had a relationship. He had visitation with her,” said Carman’s attorney, John Schrock.

“They had a relationship and he was part of her life,” Schrock said. “Her father has been pulled from her and he can never be brought back. How do you tell a 10-year-old her father’s not coming back?”

Nathan Hofkamp had been released from Vienna Correctional Center just 12 hours before he was killed last month. He, his mother, 51-year-old Kathy Hofkamp, and brother Kevin Hofkamp, 23, were celebrating his new-found freedom at Hess’ home outside Minooka when Hess put a bullet in his chest, police said.

Hess and Kathy Hofkamp lived together. She still resides in the home, which Hess, who is free on a $1 million bond, must stay away from by court order.

In her petition to obtain the court order, Kathy Hofkamp gave her version of how her son was killed.

“We were all drinking,” she said. “My son Nathan said he will take some beers to the back with us and Jim disappeared downstairs and he shot off three shots down in the basement and then he came up and aimed the gun at all three of us and said now who’s not going to sleep. My son Nathan (went) around the wall to get the gun away from Jim and Jim shot him. I went for the house phone to call 911 and he came after me and grabbed me and scratched me on my lip and arm to get the phone away from me. I grabbed my cell phone and called 911 and ran to my son to stop the bleeding and talked to 911. Jim ran outside with the gun. The police showed up. Jim would not drop the gun and the police had him at gunpoint and then he gave up the gun and the police secured him."

James Francis Hess | image via Will County Sheriff's Department