New judge in Joliet Outlaws murder case denies man’s jail release

A Will County judge denied pretrial release for a man charged with a Joliet Township murder, effectively reversing a decision by a retired judge whom she determined failed to follow the requirements of the provision of the SAFE-T Act.

One of the factors that influenced Will County Judge Jessica Colón-Sayre’s ruling Monday was that Jeremy Boshears, 39, of Coal City had been convicted in 2022 of first-degree murder and concealment of the homicidal death of Kaitlyn “Katie” Kearns, 24, at the Joliet Outlaws clubhouse.

“The risk of flight to this court is great,” Colón-Sayre said.

The judge sided with prosecutors who argued Boshears posed a threat to witnesses in his 2022 trial and the community, as well as a flight risk because of his attempts to thwart the investigation of Kearns’ disappearance in 2017.

Prosecutors alleged Boshears killed Kearns and worked with other members of the Outlaws motorcycle club to cover up her death.

Prosecutors alleged that included Boshears helping to clean up the crime scene and driving Kearns’ body 50 miles away from the crime scene so she could be hidden inside of a Kankakee County barn.

Prosecutors alleged Boshears sent Kearns a text message about six hours after she died that said, “I hope you made it home OK,” even though he knew she wasn’t alive.

The allegations regarding Boshears’ participation in the cover up of Kearns’ death was a key factor in Colón-Sayre’s decision to deny him pretrial release for his second trial.

That second trial was granted to him earlier this year by retired Will County Judge Dave Carlson. He had also ordered Boshears’ pretrial release in an April 29 ruling where he criticized the SAFE-T Act.

However, Colón-Sayre vacated Carlson’s order for Boshears’ pretrial release after agreeing with prosecutors that Carlson failed to make findings in accordance with the law that abolished cash bail last year.

Prosecutors notified Colón-Sayre of Carlson’s ruling in a separate case that was sent back to Will County by an appellate court after they found the former judge failed to make the proper pretrial release findings.

With Boshears once again held in jail, both parties plan to reconvene on June 21 for further pretrial hearings in the lead up to Boshears’ second trial.

During last Thursday’s detention hearing, Boshears’ defense attorney Chuck Bretz and prosecutors gave a lengthy narrative of their theory of the case that summarized the evidence at the 2022 trial.

Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Shlifka said Boshears committed “days upon days” of “inhumane and horrific decisions” in the cover-up of a woman he claimed to have loved.

“What about that is not dangerous?” Shlifka said.

Shlifka said Boshears poses a threat to the witnesses who testified against him at trial and he’s a flight risk based on his extensive attempts to thwart the police investigation of Kearns’ disappearance.

Shlifka called the defense theory that Kearns shot herself “utterly ridiculous.”

Bretz said prosecutors have taken facts and turned them into fiction with their case against his client. He said they lack any forensic evidence tying Boshears to the alleged crime.

“They don’t have anything other than rank speculation,” Bretz said.

Bretz said Boshears has zero criminal history and there is no evidence he’s a threat or a flight risk. He said there was no evidence Boshears ever saw the text messages from Kearns’ ex-boyfriend that supposedly provoked him to kill her.

“It’s all fantasy and speculation,” Bretz said.

Bretz said Boshears was ordered by the Outlaws to cover up Kearns’ death and he was fighting with the organization over that decision. He said Boshears made his drive to to Kankakee County to appeal to a high-ranking member of the organization.

Bretz gave copies of Kearns’ medical records to Colón-Sayre, which allegedly showed psychological issues and drug abuse that allegedly indicate Kearns had shot herself during an argument with Boshears at the Outlaws clubhouse. Bretz also gave autopsy records and other material to support his claim.