Joliet Township man held in slaying of 90-year-old grandmother
By Brian Stanley bstanley@stmedianetwork.com December 5, 2012 6:20PM
Darel C. Agerton
Updated: January 7, 2013 7:21AM
Police say a parolee had been home from prison for just more than a day before he brutally murdered his 90-year-old grandmother Friday in Joliet Township.
Darel C. Agerton, 38, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with six counts of first-degree murder in the death of Veronica R. Schick.
Agerton is being held in the county jail in lieu of $5 million bail.
Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Ken Kaupas said at 7:33 p.m. Friday deputies went to assist an East Joliet Fire Department ambulance that was called to 109 Jessie St. by Schick’s 63-year-old daughter, who is Agerton’s aunt.
Reports said Agerton was found kneeling by Schick’s body near the basement stairs. He said he had been watching television in another room before finding her at the bottom of the five steps, police said.
“The nature and extent of her injuries was not consistent with falling down a flight of stairs,” Kaupas said.
Agerton called Schick’s daughter and said her mother had fallen. The aunt came over and called 911. Schick was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to reports, an investigator arrived at the scene and was introduced to Agerton, who responded by saying “What’s all this about? I found her like that, you are not going to pin this (on) me.”
Kaupas said further interviews were conducted that substantiated Schick had been the victim of foul play. An autopsy performed this week showed Schick had been beaten and her death was caused by strangulation.
Agerton was paroled from the Jacksonville Correctional Center on Thursday after serving half of a three-year sentence for aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and driving on a suspended license in 2010 and 2011. Records show Agerton has a history of DUI arrests in Will County.
He’d arrived in Joliet after taking a train from Jacksonville and spent Thursday night in his old bedroom.
Kaupas said Agerton and Schick argued after he had friends over Friday night to celebrate his parole without her consent.
Agerton is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
