Arrest Made in Luana Road Homicide
Sheriff Mike Kelley announced the recent arrest of Landen Brown (age 19) of Joliet for the offense of First-Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
On 07/24/2024, at approximately 3:45 PM, deputies with the Will County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Luana Road and Girard Boulevard in Unincorporated Joliet regarding a shooting.
Deputies were advised that the victim was shot while sitting inside of his vehicle near Luana Road and Girard Boulevard. Once shot, the victim drove his vehicle down the street, and exited his vehicle in the 100 block of Girard Boulevard.
Deputies located the victim, who was identified as Jayden Valazquez-Garcia (age 19) of Plainfield lying on the ground outside of his vehicle in the roadway.
Deputies rendered aid to the victim until East Joliet Fire Department personnel were able to take over life-saving measures. Jayden Valazquez-Garcia was transported to a local area hospital in critical condition, where he would later succumb to his injuries.
Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) began investigating this incident and quickly identified persons of interest through various interviews and surveillance videos recovered by police personnel in the area.
Detectives were able to determine early in the investigation that this shooting was a targeted attack and was an attempted armed robbery that resulted in the senseless loss of life.
Detectives allege that Landen Brown shot and killed Jayden Valazquez-Garcia while in the commission of committing an armed robbery as Jayden Valazquez-Garcia was sitting in his vehicle near the intersection of Luana Road and Girard Boulevard.
Detectives and CSI were able to gather enough evidence and present the findings to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office for review. On 07/26/2024, the Honorable Judge Sarah Jones signed the No-Bond arrest warrant for two counts of First-Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
On July 25, 2024, the Will County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the United States Marshal Service (USMS) to help locate Landen Brown who was believed to have fled the Will County area after the shooting.
On August 23, 2024, members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Unit, who are assigned as Task Force Officers (TFO) with the USMS Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force were able to identify a possible address in Gary, Indiana, that Landen Brown may have been staying at.
Members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office and USMS Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force set up surveillance on a residence located in the 500 block of E. 21st Avenue in Gary, Indiana. While on surveillance, members of the task force positively identified Landen Brown exiting the residence and re-entering it.
Members of the task force devised a plan, determined the approach, and took Landen Brown into custody without incident.
Landen Brown was transported to the Lake County Indiana Sheriff’s Office for questioning by Will County Sheriff’s Office detectives. Landen Brown made numerous incriminating statements to detectives regarding his involvement in these crimes.
Landen Brown will remain in the custody of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office until he can be extradited back to the State of Illinois.
The Will County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, the Indiana Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the numerous police agencies, and all the personnel that assisted in capture of Landen Brown. Once extradited back to the State of Illinois, Landen Brown will remain in the custody of the Will County Sheriff’s Office at the Adult Detention Facility pending his initial court date.