A Lakemoor father was found guilty Friday of first-degree murder in the shooting death of his own son, more than a year and a half after the 31-year-old was found bleeding in the roadway just steps from the home they shared. James Piezonka shot and killed Ryan J. Piezonka on March 2, 2025, and a McHenry County jury has now determined the killing was murder.
James Piezonka, of Lakemoor, was convicted on Friday of first-degree murder in the north suburban shooting death of his son, according to ABC7 Chicago. Ryan Piezonka was found lying in the roadway in the 100-block of Rand Road, the same street where he and his father lived together, the station reported. Police and court records said James Piezonka shot at his son five times.
Son Pointed to His Father's House Before Collapsing
Before he died, Ryan Piezonka told people nearby exactly who had shot him. According to court documents cited by the Lake and McHenry County Scanner, Ryan pointed toward a red house and told bystanders, “My dad shot me, call the police.” A criminal complaint further alleges that James Piezonka discharged a firearm five times at his son.
Reports on the exact nature of Ryan's wounds have varied. The Northwest Herald, via Shaw Local News Network, reported he was struck three times total: in the buttocks, back left shoulder and back bicep, while the same Scanner report described him as shot five times in the torso and left arm. The dossier does not reconcile these differing accounts, and neither can be confirmed as more accurate without the underlying complaint or medical records.
Charges Escalated as the Case Developed
Prosecutors initially charged James Piezonka in the days following the shooting, and the case grew more serious as it moved through the courts. Charges were later upgraded to two counts of first-degree murder along with aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated domestic battery and felon in possession of a firearm, the Scanner reported. Court records reviewed by the Daily Herald also described witness accounts of the moments after the shooting: the shooter left the scene in a black van and returned less than 10 minutes later without shoes, socks or the gun.
James Piezonka was ordered held in McHenry County Jail following a pretrial detention hearing, according to the same Daily Herald report, which cited Judge Cynthia Lamb's order. Reports have listed his age as either 64 or 65, a discrepancy that has not been resolved in available court coverage.
Jury Trial Unfolded This Week
The case went before a jury this week, with proceedings overseen by McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis after 12 jurors and two alternates were selected, the Scanner reported. A guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge was reported Friday.
James Piezonka is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 24, 2026, according to ABC7 Chicago. The station's report did not include details on the sentence he could face or the disposition of the additional charges tied to the case.
