Glasgow Announces Richard Proctor Sentenced to 40 Years Prison for the 1st Degree Murder of Ryan Connell on New Year’s Day, 2020 (Joliet, IL) – Will County State’s Attorney James W. Glasgow announces that Richard Proctor, 30, of Steger, was sentenced by Judge Kenneth Zelazo to 40 years prison following a jury trial heard on September 12, 2024. The sentence is to be served at 100%,
The trial testimony revealed on January 1, 2020, at 7:30 a.m., the Steger Police Department responded to an anonymous 911 call for an emergency welfare check on the residence of 3602 Chicago Road. Steger police found an individual, later identified as Ryan Connell (age 28), lying on his back inside the kitchen of the residence. Upon entering the home, police found Connell in the kitchen area unresponsive with knife wounds to his body. Connell was later pronounced deceased by emergency personnel at the scene.
Steger Police developed information that Proctor hosted a New Year’s party at his residence that included Connell and at least four other individuals. The witnesses testified that Connell appeared extremely inebriated upon their arrival and while there, Proctor, his girlfriend, and his guests were also drinking alcohol. At one point, Connell was moved to a recliner where he appeared to be asleep throughout the remainder of the evening without talking to or interacting with anyone. When the final guests left, they testified Connell was still on the recliner as he had been throughout the evening. Shortly after the guests left, Proctor was captured on video surveillance briefly leaving the residence and returning a short time later before leaving again. Proctor’s girlfriend was seen leaving approximately fifteen minutes after Proctor, accompanied by his dog.
Proctor fled to a relative’s house one mile away where his sweater was eventually recovered and found to have Connell’s blood on the sleeves. The knife recovered from the scene also tested positive for Connell’s blood on the blade which was bent at an almost 90-degree angle. Later investigation revealed Proctor’s girlfriend was picked up at a nearby gas station by an acquaintance of hers whom she asked to call 911 for law enforcement to respond to the residence.
Following Proctor’s arrest, testimony from a fellow inmate at the Will County Adult Detention Facility established that Proctor requested assistance fabricating a version of events from the evening which did not incriminate him. Proctor made statements to the inmate admitting stabbing Connell. Proctor also asked the inmate to help him find someone to murder his girlfriend, who was the sole eyewitness to Connell’s murder. After the inmate contacted the authorities to inform them of this request, an undercover Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was contacted by Proctor who solicited the murder of that sole eyewitness.
At a time in the holiday season wherein family and friends routinely gather to celebrate with loved one, Richard Proctor ignored this special time of the year brutally murdering a defenseless friend with a knife during a holiday gathering. Proctor’s abandoned and malignant heart was on display as he admitted killing Connell and then attempted to find someone to kill the only eyewitness, Glasgow said.
State’s Attorney Glasgow commended the trial team of Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Molesky, Aristotelis “Telly” Theodorou, and Sarah Romero, Victim Advocate Mallory Magee, Victim Advocate Emma Rannells, Administrative Professional Danna Thayer, Information Technology assistant Albert Bailey, and Steger Deputy Police Chief Peter Fajman and Detective Alex Farkas, and Sergeant Jordan Lane, as well as the members of the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force for their dedication in this matter.
Glasgow Announces Richard Proctor Sentenced to 40 Years Prison for the 1st Degree Murder of Ryan Connell on New Year’s Day, 2020
