DeKalb man convicted of teen’s murder faces new charges in jail deputy attack

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man convicted of murdering a DeKalb High School teenager has new charges after he allegedly punched a DeKalb County jail deputy and spit at another, broke a fire sprinkler and damaged jail property, court records show.

Timothy M. Doll, 31, a registered sex offender, awaits sentencing after he pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to the May 4, 2023, murder of 15-year-old Gracie Sasso-Cleveland. Doll’s sentencing was postponed pending a psychiatric evaluation ordered by a judge at the request of Doll’s defense attorney Andrew Nickel. He’s been held without release at the DeKalb County jail in Sycamore since May 7, 2023.

Doll refused to come to court Monday for a hearing on new charges of criminal damage to government property and tampering with a fire system Saturday, according to DeKalb County court filings. He’s also charged after authorities said he physically attacked multiple DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies May 7.

Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery presided over the pretrial hearing for the new charges Tuesday.

About 12:15 p.m. on May 7, a sheriff’s deputy at the jail attempted to hand Doll a lunch tray, police wrote in May 8 court filings.

“Doll was unhappy with the tray so he threw the tray at deputies,” exited his cell block and began to throw other food trays around, police wrote in court records. Doll threw a food cart at another deputy, whose right arm was injured, and the jail’s food cart broke into pieces, according to court records.

Deputies attempted to get Doll into a restraint chair, but Doll picked it up, threw it and broke off the chair’s right wheel, according to court filings. When two other deputies tried to restrain him, Doll allegedly punched one of them in the left eye, according to court records.

Deputies said Doll ignored all commands and one deputy shot a Taser at Doll.

“After the effects of the Taser wore off, Timothy Doll proceeded to spit in [the deputy’s] face with his saliva hitting [the deputy] in her face and hair,” court filings state.

Doll was charged May 8 with three felony counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, and two counts of felony criminal damage to government property.

Over the weekend, Doll was moved to a different cell “for a discipline he is currently serving,” authorities wrote in May 12 court filings.

[ ‘I try very hard to keep her memory alive’: 2 years since DeKalb teen Gracie Sasso-Cleveland’s murder ]

During a disciplinary hearing inside his cell, deputies said Doll was upset when he learned he’d be moved out of the jail’s general population confinement area.

“Doll stated that he was going to pop the sprinkler and that we might want to move if we do not want to get wet,” deputies wrote in court filings. Water began to cover the cell walls and door, which activated the fire alarm. Doll told a deputy he broke the sprinkler, according to court records.

Since Doll refused to come to court Monday on the Saturday charges, he appeared before Montgomery on Tuesday. He appeared calm and only spoke to acknowledge the judge.

He’s expected to be arraigned on the new charges even as he awaits sentencing for murder. He faces between 20 to 60 years in prison on the murder charges. At the time of Sasso-Cleveland’s death, Doll was listed as a registered sex offender in Illinois.

Nickel told Montgomery Doll’s psychiatric evaluation is expected to be completed within two months. It’s not clear what led court officials to seek an evaluation after Doll pleaded guilty Feb. 5, according to the DeKalb County State‘s Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case.

Authorities said Doll was in an illegal dating relationship with Sasso-Cleveland, and told police he knew she was half his age.

Doll killed her after they argued at his apartment the night of May 4, records show. He then attempted to hide her body in a nearby dumpster. After, he called an ambulance because he’d injured his back lifting her dead body, police said. Paramedics didn’t realize Sasso-Cleveland lay feet away when they picked Doll up to take him to a nearby hospital. Gracie’s mother, Ericka Sasso, reported her missing May 6. DeKalb police found her body the next day, May 7.

A new date for Doll’s sentencing hasn’t been set. Court officials said Tuesday it could be sometime in August. He’s expected to appear for a status hearing on results from the psychiatric evaluation at 9:30 a.m. July 16.

It’s been two years since Gracie’s murder. Loved ones have kept in touch with Sasso to support her and help keep her daughter’s spirit alive. They’ve celebrated Gracie’s birthdays posthumously and advocated for harsher sentences for people convicted of crimes of sexual violence to minors.

Gracie was remembered for her love of animals and music. She played the violin and piano.

“Gracie could turn any negative energy into positive with a smile on her face,” according to her obituary. “She had a kind and gentle spirit about her. Gracie’s wish for the future was to pursue beauty school and obtain a drivers license.”