Joliet Killer Who Shot Brother During Dare Is Sentenced

JOLIET, IL — A 31-year-old Joliet man who spent more than three-and-half-years living inside the Will County Jail is now on his way to the Illinois Department of Corrections after being sentenced to 12 years in prison. Chris A. Perez fatally shot his 36-year-old brother Ricardo Perez inside their mother's house in Joliet Township on Dec. 3, 2017.

Perez, who was 28 at the time, was booked into the Will County Jail on the same day of the homicide after the Will County Sheriff's investigators arrested him on first-degree murder charges.

At Perez's first courtroom hearing, prosecutors revealed that Chris Perez and Ricardo got into an argument inside their mother's east side house in the 1400 block of Sterling Avenue and that Ricardo dared his brother to pull the trigger and shoot him.

At the scene, Will County police found Ricardo Perez's body on the second floor of the house. He was shot in the head.

Now, the Office of Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow has worked out a plea bargain with Chris Perez. The former resident of Elgin Avenue pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and Will County Judge Daniel Rippy sentenced Perez to 12 years at the Illinois Department of Corrections.

"Victim was in an argument with his mom when the defendant, his brother, stepped in to stick up for his mom," documents from an assistant Will County State's Attorney informed the judge. "The victim continued to yell and become angry with both of them. Defendant then produced a handgun and shot the victim while under a sudden and intense passion."

Perez will get credit for time already served, which is a whopping 1,300 days, documents from his plea bargain stated.