Slain Ex-Con’s Mom Tells How Her Boyfriend Gunned Down Her Son: Petition

JOLIET, IL — The mother of an ex-convict shot to death during a party to celebrate his release from prison just hours before revealed details about the killing and accused her boyfriend of gunning her son down, according to a petition filed in Will County court.

Nathan Hofkamp, 29, went from Vienna Correctional Center to the Canal Road home outside Minooka that his mother shared with her boyfriend, 65-year-old James Francis Hess. That was where Hess killed Hofkamp, police said, putting a bullet in his chest.

Hess appeared in court Monday afternoon and his bond was set at $1 million. He came up with the $100,000 he needed to get out by Tuesday evening. Hours earlier, Hofkamp’s mother, 51-year-old Kathy Hofkamp, petitioned for and received a protective order against Hess. In it, she told about the night her son was killed.

“James wanted to go to sleep,” Kathy Hofkamp said in her petition.

“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.”

Kathy Hofkamp said she and Hess lived together for the past three years and their romance blossomed over that time.

“I moved in approximately three years (ago) to be his caregiver,” she explained. “Then we became boyfriend and girlfriend.”

The other Hofkamp at the tragic party, 23-year-old Kevin Hofkamp, was booked into the Will County jail on traffic warrants and a warrant from Champaign County following the killing.

Kevin Hofkamp, who jail records list as a Missouri resident, witnessed the shooting, according to police, who declined to say how he is related to Nathan Hofkamp.

Kevin Hofkamp’s bond had been set at $2,500. He remained in custody until early Tuesday morning.

Nathan Hofkamp served seven months in prison for theft and aggravated assault convictions out of Cook County. He also did prison time for burglary and theft convictions out of Kankakee County, and a possession of a controlled substance conviction from Will County.

After his release from prison Friday morning, Nathan Hofkamp posted on Facebook, “Finally free.”

A Go Fund Me page was set up in Nathan Hofkamp’s name to cover the cost of a “nice service for his passing.”

“He just got out of prison ready to change his life and do good and his life got taken from him within 11 hrs of being home,” reads the page, which says it was set up by Nathan Hofkamp’s brother Adam Hofkamp.

The page said Nathan Hofkamp leaves behind a daughter.

Hess was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence in February 2011 but the case was dismissed when he pleaded guilty instead to reckless driving. He was found guilty of criminal damage to property in June 2010. Hess was arrested on charges of domestic battery and interfering with a report of domestic battery in February 2010, but the case was dismissed after the complaining witness failed to appear for his trial. In August 2011, he was charged with battery. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to court supervision.

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