12 murder charges filed against Joliet for Halloween party killings

JOLIET – The Will County Sheriff's Office issued a news release Thursday saying four people are now facing first-degree murder charges in the mass killings that occurred at an East Side Halloween party on East Jackson Street three years ago be charged with a degree.

David A. Grijalva, 23, a familiar name for the Joliet Patch, is now charged with first-degree murder for his role in the 2021 Halloween mass shooting in Joliet Township, authorities noted.

On Thursday, the Will County Sheriff's Office and the United States Marshals Service arrested David Grijalva without incident at his workplace in Channahon. David is charged with 12 counts of first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Back in 2021, a Chicago Joliet criminal defense attorney told Jim Glasgow's Will County prosecutor's office “does not have enough evidence” to convict his client David Grijalva in connection with the Halloween shootings in Joliet Township.

“I believe my client is innocent and we look forward to our day in court,” defense attorney Rajeev Bajaj told Joliet Patch. “In my opinion, the prosecution does not have enough evidence to secure a conviction for my client. I have been tasked with aggressively fighting all charges.”

At that time, five criminal charges were filed against Grijalva, a 20-year-old Joliet resident. He was charged with attempted murder in connection with the Oct. 31 shooting. Will County police have said Grijalva is an associate of the Vice Lords street gang.

According to the sheriff's office summary released Thursday:

Around 12:39 p.m., dozens of shots rang out and were fired into a crowd at a Halloween party near East Jackson Street and Walnut Street in Joliet Township.

The gunmen stood from an elevated position above the crowd and began firing indiscriminately. Deputies from the nearby Will County Sheriff's Office heard the shots and responded immediately. Nearly 200 costumed partygoers fled the area as shots continued to be fired as officers arrived at the scene.

Holly Mathews and Jonathan Ceballos, who were not the intended targets, were pronounced dead at the scene. The actual target, Sergio Hernandez, was paralyzed in the shooting and died from his injuries a year later.

In January 2022, Joskar Ramos, now 20, of Joliet, Jeremy Lopez, now 22, of Joliet, and Thomas Lopez, now 23, of Joliet, were all charged with first-degree murder.

After David Grijalva was taken into custody Thursday, he was taken to the Will County Sheriff's Office Public Safety Complex for questioning by detectives. Sheriff's officials announced that Grijalva refused to give investigators information about his suspected involvement in the murders of Holly Mathews, Jonathan Ceballos and Sergio Hernandez during the 2021 Halloween party in Joliet Township. David Grijalva was taken to the Will County Adult Detention Center, where he will be housed until his next court appearance, the department said.