‘Nightcrawler’ Looking to Wiggle Out of Prison

By Joseph Hosey

For nearly a year, a man dubbed the “Nightcrawler” by a perplexed police force terrorized Joliet’s women and children.

The reign of fear ended when Joliet detectives linked a DNA sample to a Romeoville man who had pulled stakes to move in with relatives in Markham near the tail end of the serial sex attacks.

That man—"Nightcrawler" Timothy Evans— was taken into custody in Markham after returning from one of his nocturnal intrusions in Joliet.

Evans, now 48, pleaded guilty 11 months after his arrest in June 2003 and was eventually sent to prison on a 50 year sentence. But sine then he has been waging a campaign to get his case back in court.

Evans has claimed his lawyers failed to explain that "there was no evidence upon which the state could reasonably and realistically be expected to prove" seven of the 16 felony counts he was facing when he pleaded guilty.

In March, Will County Judge Sarah Jones shot down that attempt by Evans to get a new crack at his case. But Evans responded by filing a motion for her to reconsider. He appeared in court Thursday and learned that the judge will not be reconsidering her decision.

Evans was sent back to prison, where he is scheduled to be held until 2037.

The earliest attacks attributed to Evans were in July 2002. They continued until his capture in June 2003.

Evans gained entry to homes on Joliet's east and near west sides by slipping through windows. Once inside, Evans pleasured himself in front of sleeping women and girls and fled after they woke.

Some women said the intruder wore a mask but others said he brazenly went into their homes barefaced.

Evans' sex spree grew increasingly depraved as it went on, and he sexually assaulted at least one young victim.

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