The Joliet Police Department is sharing more details after a murder-suicide in Joliet over the weekend. It was on Saturday, September 21st at 2:45 p.m., that Joliet Police Officers responded to the 8300 block of Buckingham Lane in reference to a domestic disturbance. Officers located a 32 year old female victim and a 9 year old female victim in front of the residence. Both victims appeared to have recent injuries. The victims informed the Officers that they heard what sounded like gunshots from the residence prior to Officers arrival. The 32 year old victim stated her husband, 35-year-old Christopher Miller, and her have been separated for some time and wasn’t living at her residence. The 32-year-old victim told Christopher to not come to her residence that he was unwelcome. Christopher arrived at her residence and illegally forced this way into the residence.
Christopher then battered the 32 year old female immediately upon entering her residence. In fear of her family’s safety, the 32 year old female yelled to her 9 year old daughter to grab the baby and flee the residence. When the 9 year old victim attempted to grab the 1-1/2 year old baby, Christopher battered her preventing her from grabbing the baby prior to fleeing the residence. The 32 year old victim informed the responding Officer that her 1-1/2 year old baby was still in the residence with Christopher. Christopher is the father of the 1-1/2 year old baby.
Officers attempted to make contact with Christopher but he had barricaded himself in the residence. The Joliet Police Department’s Special Operations Squad and Crisis Negotiators responded to the scene. All attempts at communicating with Christopher were met with negative results. The Special Operations Squad then breached the residence to search for Christopher so he could be taken into custody. The search revealed that Christopher and the 1-1/2 year old baby were deceased. A firearm was recovered at the scene that was used in the incident.
Both female victims were transported to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment of their injuries shortly after Officers arrival.
The autopsy conducted on Sunday by the Kendall County Coroner’s Office revealed that both Christopher and the 1 1/2 year old baby suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. From the evidence collected at the scene and witness statements, the investigation has led Detectives to the determination that Christopher fatally shot his 1-1/2 year old baby before shooting himself.
