Peter Zabala Rejects Plea Deal In Ashley Tucker's Murder, Jury Selection Begins Wednesday

JOLIET, IL — At 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Courtroom 502, Will County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Fitzgerald informed Will County Judge Jessica Colon-Sayre that Joliet first-degree murder defendant Peter Zabala has turned down a last-minute plea bargain offer from the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow. As a result, jury selection will begin Wednesday afternoon in the Joliet slaying of Ashley Tucker.

At 11 a.m., the judge cleared her courtroom, only allowing a Will County Sheriff's deputy to remain present for security purposes, as Joliet murder defendant Peter Zabala met with his lawyer Chuck Bretz and possibly some of Zabala's family members, to discuss a last-minute plea agreement extended by the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

Details of the plea agreement were not disclosed in open court by long-time Will County State's Attorney Mike Fitzgerald. However, it was explained in open court that there has been an amended offer and it would be helpful if the court cleared the room for Bretz to have an extended conversation with client, the judge explained late Tuesday morning.

At 1:30 p.m., several people gathered in Courtroom 502 including members of the Joliet Police Department's detective unit to learn whether Zabala would plead guilty to avoid a trial.

"His client has not accepted our offer," Fitzgerald told Judge Colon. She then turned her attention to Bretz and Zabala and both men answered that was indeed correct.

Judge Colon then announced that jury selection would take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Because she has a prior commitment on Friday, and Monday is a national holiday, the trial will not begin with opening statements from the attorneys until Tuesday morning, Jan. 20.

Bretz also informed the judge that Zabala's family has made arrangements for the Joliet first-degree murder defendant to have regular civilian clothes provided to him to wear for his trial.

Zabala, who is now 50 years old, has been kept in the Will County Jail since his Joliet police arrest on Oct. 22, 2018. He faces three counts of first-degree murder and two crimes of concealment of a homicide that occurred on or about Oct. 13, 2018.

Tucker was reported missing by her family on Oct. 14, 2018, and an arrest warrant against Zabala for violations of the Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act, was issued on Oct. 17, 2018.

Separately, the judge announced on Tuesday morning that she would not allow any news media photography in her courtroom during the jury trial. Bretz informed the judge that his client did not want to be photographed during the trial, and the judge, not wanting to have the case overturned on an appeal at a later point in the time, agreed with Bretz's position to prohibit news media photography.