Earlier today, Gilbert Bernal Sr. (age 82) of Flint, Michigan, stood before the Honorable Art Smigielski regarding First Degree Murder Charges Being filed.

On December 9, 2025, a Will County Grand Jury returned a sealed indictment for the offense of first-degree murder against Gilbert Bernal Sr., in connection with the long-unsolved disappearance and suspected killing of his wife, Joan Bernal. This indictment occurred exactly 37 years to the day she was last seen alive.

On December 11, 2025, Gilbert Bernal Sr. was taken into custody at his residence in Flint, Michigan, by members of the United States Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Task Force in connection with re-opened leads and developments in this cold case investigation.

Once taken into custody, Gilbert was again questioned by detectives with the Will County Sheriff’s Office and ultimately transported to the Genessee County Jail in Flint, Michigan, where he remained in their custody for an extradition hearing. Gilbert Bernal was extradited to the State of Illinois and arrived at the Will County Sheriff’s Office Adult Detention Facility on 01/02/2026.

Joan Bernal was last seen alive on December 9, 1988. It is alleged that Gilbert T. Bernal and his wife Joan had a domestic violence incident occur at their residence before a planned family trip to Texas. Both Joan and Gilbert had children from previous marriages and had one child in common. It is alleged that during a dispute on whether to take all the children to Texas for Christmas, Joan’s ex-husband disallowed their shared children to go with the couple. There was then eyewitness testimony that Gilbert Bernal began physically battering Joan inside their residence in Joliet and then dragged her to the rear of the residence. This was the last time she was reported being seen alive.

At the time, her husband Gilbert reported her missing on December 27, 1988, stating he left her at a bus stop in McAlister, Oklahoma. Despite extensive investigations, Joan’s body has never been found, and the case remained one of Will County’s most haunting cold cases.

Numerous detectives with the Will County Sheriff’s Office worked on the case over the last few decades, re-examining evidence and interviewing witnesses. This investigation was reinvigorated in recent years, when the Will County Sheriff’s Office established a team of detectives that focused on cold case investigations. Their dedication, persistence, and quest for the truth helped bring this indictment to fruition after nearly four decades.

This cold case investigation received media attention earlier this year, when an episode of the television show “Cold Justice” aired on the Oxygen Network. The episode chronicled additional steps taken by Will County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and the hosts of the show seeking justice for the victim, Joan Bernal.

During today’s court hearing, the Will County Grand Jury Bill of Indictment was unsealed, allowing Joan’s family to have some closure in her disappearance.

The next court hearing for Gilbert Bernal Sr. is on 01/12/2026 for a detention hearing. This long-awaited legal step honors Joan’s memory and underscores law enforcement’s commitment to never giving up on cold case investigations. Our thoughts remain with Joan’s family and all those who’ve sought answers and justice for decades.