Barry Whelpley

Barry Lee Whelpley, 79, of Mounds View, Minnesota, was held at the Will County Jail in Joliet, Illinois, while awaiting trial. The sheriff's office said he was found unresponsive in his cell early on Friday, February 9, 2024, after correctional staff had seen him alive the night before, and he was taken to a Joliet hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities said they did not suspect foul play, and the Will/Grundy Major Crimes Task Force was called in to investigate, with an autopsy scheduled for the following day.

Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined

Reported by: Will County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him). The only account of how this person died comes from the agency that held him.

News reports (4)

• Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Death in Custody Reports (edition of 2026-07-28) Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Death in Custody Reports
• High-Profile Murder Defendant Dies In Will County Jail Cell Patch, February 9, 2024
• Naperville's Notorious Murder Defendant Dies Inside Will County Jail Patch, February 9, 2024
• Minnesota man awaiting trial in teen’s 1972 slaying is found dead in Illinois cell CityNews Kitchener, February 9, 2024