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Joliet teen charged with murder of teen in fatal apartment stabbing: police

By Lauren Westphal
Published  May 28, 2026 4:52 PM CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • Joliet police charged 17-year-old Jae'vion Smith with two counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of another 17-year-old boy at the Riverwalk Homes Apartments on May 3. Smith is being charged as an adult.
    • Officers found the victim with a stab wound on the fifth floor of the apartment complex and recovered a knife at the scene. The teen was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in critical condition and later died from his injuries.
    • Police have not identified a motive and are asking anyone with information or video footage to contact the Joliet Police Department or Will County Crime Stoppers anonymously.

JOLIET, Ill. - A 17-year-old boy has been charged in the stabbing death of another 17-year-old boy earlier this month, according to Joliet police.

Jae'vion Smith, of Joliet, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, according to police. He is being charged as an adult.

The backstory:

Around 12:55 p.m. on May 3, police responded to the Riverwalk Homes Apartments, officers found a 17-year-old boy on the fifth floor who had sustained a stab wound. Police also recovered a knife at the scene.

The victim was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center in critical condition. Police announced that he had died from his injuries on Monday. The boy's identity has not yet been released.

Jae’vion Smith (17, Joliet)

RELATED: Boy, 17, dies day after stabbing at Joliet apartment

What we don't know:

Police are still investigating a motive for this incident.

What you can do:

Anyone with information or video footage should contact Joliet Police Department Investigations Division at 815-724-3020. Anyone looking to remain anonymous should contact Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734 or submit a tip at crimestoppersofwillcounty.org.

The Source: Details for this story were provided by the Joliet Police Department.

Crime and Public SafetyJolietNews