Retired Corrections Officer Dad Admitted Killing Son At Plainfield Preserve: Prosecutors

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A Romeoville man admitted that he fatally shot his 19-year-old son at Lake Renwick Preserve "due to a lot of mental pressure," prosecutors said during a court hearing Wednesday.

Tayvion Beaugard was found lying near a picnic shelter at the preserve with two gunshot wounds, one to his face and one to his neck/shoulder, according to officials. One of the shots was fired after the 19-year-old was already on the ground, prosecutors said.

Judge Donald W. DeWilkins granted prosecutors’ request to deny pretrial release for 56-year-old Fred Beaugard Sr., who retired from the Illinois Department of Corrections in 2021 and was currently undergoing training to be a Will County auxiliary deputy. Beauregard is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, with each charge carrying a sentence of 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted, with the potential for an additional 25 years to life because a gun was used in the crime.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Senko said there was no argument or physical altercation before the killing, adding that Beaugard told police he had adopted Tayvion when he was just four months old.

Will County Forest Preserve Police said they received a 911 call reporting gunshots just before 8 p.m. Monday at Lake Renwick Preserve - Turtle Lake Access on Lockport Street.

Prosecutors said Beaugard was at the preserve with his son and two other relatives, and told police he did not go to the preserve with the intent of shooting Tayvion.

According to prosecutors, Fred Beaugard Sr. always kept a gun on him due to his background in corrections, and he carried it in a fanny pack. At the time of the killing, he was carrying a loaded Smith & Wesson 9 mm semiautomatic pistol.

A witness who was at Lake Renwick Preserve told police that prior to the gunshots, she saw all four family members at a gazebo. Later, she said she saw Beaugard walk back and shoot Tayvion point-blank.

According to prosecutors, after the shooting, Beaugard told one of the other relatives, "Tell my family I love them" before he sat on a bench, waiting for police to arrive.

Beauregard had a valid Firearm Owners ID Card, and his concealed carry license had expired in 2023.

In asking the judge to deny pretrial release, Senko emphasized that Beaugard is facing three separate counts of first-degree murder and that he allegedly sat nearby and refused to come to his son’s aid after the shooting.

Senko also noted there was no evidence the shooting was provoked, and pointed out that the victim weighed 120 pounds and was unarmed, while his father weighs 340 pounds and was carrying a gun.

"The defendant did admit he did shoot and kill Tayvion,” she said.

DeWilkins granted prosecutors’ request, citing Beaugard’s access to weapons and his admission of the crime.

A Will County public defender was appointed to represent Beaugard.

Fred Beaugard Sr. had no prior criminal record.

According to court documents, after a July 2023 domestic battery arrest, Tayvion Beaugard was ordered to have no contact with his father or the family's Canyon Drive home as a condition of his bond. His trial had been set for July 25.

A spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Fred Beaugard Sr. was in training to be a Will County auxiliary deputy. According to the Will County Sheriff's Office, the auxiliary has existed for more than 50 years, and "consists of men and women from all walks of life, truck drivers, construction workers, firemen, security guards, business owners and on and on" whose duties "are to assist the Will County Sheriff's Police in case of emergencies."