Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that Elijah Watson, 30, of Joliet, was sentenced today to 55 years in prison for the shooting death of Nathan Ballard in 2018. Watson was found guilty by Circuit Judge Vincent Cornelius of First Degree Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon (a Class 2 felony) following a 5-day bench trial that concluded on March 4, 2024.
On October 28, 2018, Anthony Francimore had arranged for a drug deal with 20-year-old Nathan Ballard on the east side of Joliet, on the 500 block of Fox Street in Joliet Township. Francimore and Watson had planned to rob Ballard of $75 by pretending Francimore was going to sell him ecstasy. After Ballard paid, Francimore entered a waiting vehicle containing four other occupants, including Watson in the front passenger seat. Both Ballard and his brother attempted to stop Francimore from leaving with the money, but Watson pointed a firearm at them, causing them to step away. As the car fled, Watson fired multiple shots in their direction, one fatally striking Nathan Ballard in the chest. Following the robbery, Francimore used the robbery proceeds to buy drugs off Watson, before the two ultimately fled to the city to hide from police.
During the sentencing hearing, the State presented evidence of the defendant’s lengthy criminal history, which included an armed robbery conviction from 2013 in which Watson was sentenced to six years in the Department of Corrections…