Joliet man charged with murder in shooting deaths of mother, young son

Mother, 4-year-old boy killed in Joliet shooting

A man is in custody after a woman and her 4-year-old child were found shot to death at their home in Joliet.

JOLIET, Ill. - A 29-year-old Joliet man has been charged with first-degree murder after a woman and her young son were shot and killed earlier this week on the city’s East Side.

What we know:

Joliet police said they obtained an arrest warrant Wednesday morning for Joseph D. Johnson, charging him with six counts of first-degree murder.

The charges stem from the shooting deaths of 36-year-old Joselynn Diaz-Garcia and her 4-year-old son, who were found unresponsive in the backyard of a home in the 700 block of Garnsey Avenue at around 6:55 a.m. Sunday.

Officers responded to the area after reports of gunfire near Cleveland Avenue and Dillman Avenue. Callers reported seeing a shirtless man running near train tracks and discarding a gun.

When officers arrived at the scene, police said they found Johnson suffering from a gunshot wound to his ankle, believed to be self-inflicted. He was taken to Silver Cross Hospital and later transferred to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, where he remains hospitalized under police guard with non-life-threatening injuries.

The woman and child were pronounced dead at the scene by the Will County Coroner’s Office. A second child, an 8-year-old boy with special needs, was found unharmed in a bedroom of the home. Police believe the woman was the mother of both children.

Police said a firearm and shell casings were recovered at the scene.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear what led up to the shooting and the relationship, if any, between the suspect and victims.

What they're saying:

Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said the department is focused on both accountability and support for those affected.

"On behalf of the Joliet Police Department, I extend our deepest condolences to the family and to everyone in our community who is touched by this awful and unnecessary act of violence," Evans said in a statement. "I am incredibly proud of our officers, detectives, and dispatchers who acted swiftly and professionally under heartbreaking circumstances. We will continue to seek justice while surrounding this family and our city with compassion and support."

What's next:

Police said Johnson will be transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility once he is released from the hospital.