A Will County jury found a 25-year-old man guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery in connection with a 2018 fatal shooting in Joliet.
Anthony Francimore was convicted Friday for his part in the killing of 20-year-old Nathan Ballard. Francimore and Elijah Watson were both charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in 2018 for the fatal shooting.
Ballard was killed Oct. 28, 2018, after Francimore arranged a drug deal with him for ecstasy, according to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Francimore and Watson planned to rob Ballard of $75 by pretending to sell the drugs to him, prosecutors said. Francimore took the money and got back into a car with Watson.
When Ballard tried to stop them from leaving with the money, Watson allegedly pulled out a gun and fatally shot Ballard in the chest, prosecutors said.
Francimore used the cash he stole from Ballard to buy drugs off Watson before the two fled town to hide from the police, according to the state’s attorney. They were found and arrested in the Lawndale neighborhood the following day.
Sentencing for Francimore is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2024. He faces a sentence of 20 to 60 years for murder and 21 to 45 years for armed robbery.
Watson faces an additional charge for unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. His trial is scheduled to start Jan. 8.
