Elgin man found guilty of drug-induced homicide in motel overdose

McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Vonau told jurors Thursday that Ladell Walker Sr. “sells drugs and people die.”

After about four hours of deliberating, they found Walker guilty of drug-induced homicide in the death of Jacob Schramm, 43.

Schramm was found dead in his room at the Sunset Motel in Marengo on Sept. 12, 2023, two days after he bought fentanyl from Walker, prosecutors argued this week.

Assistant State’s Attorney John Tarczon reiterated testimony the jury had heard about text messages between Walker, 47, of Elgin, and Schramm planning a drug deal. They also saw a map of cell towers and pings that placed them together in a parking lot in Elgin on Sept. 10, 2023.

Schramm was found dead two days later with a rolled-up receipt and grayish powder close by that tested positive for fentanyl.

Prosecutors said Schramm was “suffering great pain” daily due to his work as a mechanic working on farm equipment for local farmers. He’d also suffered a broken back at a previous job working on oil rigs.

The prosecutor said Schramm became addicted to prescription pain pills, and when he ran out or was unable to secure a prescription, he turned to a drug dealer.

“Jacob Schramm was a working-class guy who lived modestly at a Marengo hotel,” Tarczon told jurors, detailing the origins of Schramm’s pain. He added that Walker “exploited” Schramm and profited from his pain.

But Assistant Public Defender Matthew Feda said Walker is not the person who sold Schramm the drugs.

Feda said the language used in text messages indicated Walker was meeting up with Schramm so he could work on Walker’s truck and noted a nearby auto parts store. Feda also said Walker’s DNA was not found on the baggies containing the fatal dose of fentanyl in Schramm’s bathroom.

Feda reminded jurors of trial testimony that on that baggie, there was DNA from Schramm, another identified man, and an unidentified DNA from a third person. The attorney also said cellphone towers show the man whose DNA was identified on the baggie was near the area during the time prosecutors say Walker sold the drugs to Schramm.

However, prosecutors had argued that the drug deal took place in front of a dollar store, and there were no text messages between Schramm and the other man. Prosecutors also showed jurors a picture of Walker’s phone in which he named Schramm in his contacts with dollar signs.

This is not Walker’s first conviction. In McHenry County, he was convicted in 1998 of manufacturing with intent to deliver 1 to 15 grams of cocaine; after violating probation, he was sentenced to prison for four years, records show.

In Kane County, Walker was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 2013 and sentenced to 42 months in prison, court records show. In 2004, he was convicted of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance near a school and sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to court records.

Walker, who had been out of the county jail on pretrial release, was remanded to jail following the verdict.

Conviction on the Class X felony carries a prison term of six to 30 years. However, due to his criminal history, he may be eligible for an extended sentence.