Lakemoor man accused of shooting son 5 times ordered jailed on 1st-degree murder
Police have not found the gun that a Lakemoor man is accused of using to shoot and kill his son on Sunday, according to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, as prosecutors argued that he should remain in jail pending trial.
James R. Piezonka, 64, was ordered held by Judge Cynthia Lamb in McHenry County Jail following his pretrial detention hearing on Monday. He is facing two counts of first-degree murder, accused of discharging a weapon five times at his “son and roommate,” Ryan Piezonka, 31.
According to police and the court filings against him, Piezonka shot his son early Sunday afternoon five times in the torso and left arm. The complaint also said that the alleged shooter has past felony convictions, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
Those convictions are in Cook County and include robbery and assault, Assistant State’s Attorney Ashley Romito said in court on Monday.
In addition, Piezonka is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class X felony, as well as aggravated domestic battery and felon in the possession or use of a weapon, according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court.
Police responded to the 100 block of Rand Road-Route 120 – the home of both Piezonkas – for a report of shots fired, Lakemoor Police Chief David Anderson said.
When authorities arrived on the scene, they found the victim in the street, according to information revealed by Romito in the detention hearing. A witness told police she was westbound on Route 120 when a man who was in the median approached her car, bleeding. That man, later identified as Ryan Piezonka, fell into her car and told her, “My dad shot me,” before collapsing, unconscious, on the road.
A motorcycle was found on its side in the driveway.
Authorities said witnesses also told police the shooter left the scene in a black van. When James Piezonka returned in that van less than 10 minutes later, he was not wearing shoes or socks and did not have the gun, Romito said.
The younger Piezonka was taken by a Wauconda Fire Protection District ambulance to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, where he later died, according to the release. He was hit three times: in the buttocks, back left shoulder and back bicep, Romito said.
Some of the incident was captured on surveillance video – both from a neighbor’s home and the Piezonka residence, she added.
In arguing against pretrial detention, Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger pointed out the elder Piezonka suffered a stroke in 2019 and had upcoming doctor’s appointments for treatment of that stroke. Piezonka walked with a limp and was allowed to sit during his court appearance.