A Joliet nursing home resident, William Paschall, 71, has been arrested and faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery against a person 60 years or older. The arrest followed an incident on Friday night at Salem Village Nursing and Rehabilitation, situated at 1314 Rowell Avenue.
Around 9:25 p.m., law enforcement responded to reports of a battery on the sixth floor of the facility. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 61-year-old man in the laundry room, unresponsive and in need of medical assistance. Facility staff tended to the victim until paramedics arrived.
Initial reports suggest that Paschall assaulted the victim in the laundry room, purportedly agitated by the victim’s use of a washing machine. During the altercation, a staff member attempted to intervene. Paschall allegedly struck the victim multiple times in the head and utilized the victim’s walker in the assault, resulting in the victim falling to the floor.
Facility staff provided immediate medical assistance, implemented life-saving measures, and contacted 911. The victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Will County Coroner’s Office.
Following the incident, Paschall was arrested and taken into custody at the Joliet Police Department. The Will County Coroner’s Office will determine the identity of the victim and ascertain the cause of death through its ongoing investigation.
