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Kendall County Now

Man charged in fatal Oswego attack on wait list for mental health treatment

Darryl Lee Jr. has been found unfit to stand trial

Darryl Lee Jr., 19, of Kankakee

After being found unfit to stand trial, the Kankakee man charged in a fatal attack in Oswego remains on a wait list for mental health treatment.

Darryl Lee Jr., 20, is charged with killing a man using a hammer and knife and injuring another person Oct. 22 at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Oswego. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Lee has been remanded to the Illinois Department of Human Resources for mental health treatment. He faces 11 felony counts, including first-degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death and armed robbery.

There about 110 people on a waiting list to get into a mental health facility, Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis said following a March 9 status hearing on the case.

Weis is anticipating that Lee will be placed in a mental health facility within the next 30 to 60 days. The Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health operates seven state-run inpatient psychiatric hospitals for adults, including one in Elgin.

Lee’s next court hearing is set for 9 a.m. April 6.

The victim in the fatal attack was identified as Tracey J. Land, 52, of Bridgeview.

Land was making a delivery to the restaurant at 2740 Route 34 when, about 3:10 a.m., Lee allegedly broke into the restaurant and attacked him with a hammer and a knife, Oswego police said.

About 5 a.m., Oswego police were called to the restaurant for a report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers found the alleged offender, later identified by police as Lee, being restrained by two contracted maintenance workers.

Officers immediately took Lee into custody and began providing medical aid to one of the workers who had been injured, police said.

The injured 20-year-old man was taken to an area hospital. Based on statements allegedly made by Lee, officers conducted a protective sweep of the restaurant and discovered Land’s body inside. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lee will be committed to the Illinois Department of Human Services in an inpatient secure facility, Weis has said.

“The doctor who did the evaluation believes he can be restored to fitness within a year, which is the standard in the state of Illinois for fitness,” Weis said. “And once he is found to be fit, he’ll be returned here back in Kendall County, and the proceedings will continue on.”

Weis said he believes that Lee understands the charges against him but that he is not able to assist in his own defense.

“That’s usually where the issue comes up when you have a mental illness without treatment or medications,” he said. “So they’ll give him some treatment as well as medications, which will allow him then to assist his attorneys in his own defense.”

Lee will remain in custody in the Kendall County Jail until the Illinois Department of Human Services has a bed available.

Police said that after allegedly killing Land, Lee remained in the restaurant and tried to clean up the crime scene. The maintenance workers were outside the restaurant, unaware that Lee was inside and had allegedly killed Land, police said.

Lee exited the restaurant about 4:55 a.m. and allegedly attacked the 20-year-old man from behind by stabbing him with a knife, police said. Despite his injuries, the man was able to subdue his attacker with the assistance of his mother, who also was on-site working with him, police said.

Oswego village officials in November honored the mother and son for their efforts at the scene.

At the Nov. 4 Oswego Village Board meeting, Village President Ryan Kauffman read a proclamation commending the efforts of Sergio Uribe Jr. and Ana Uribe.

Eric Schelkopf

Eric Schelkopf

Eric Schelkopf, who is a Kendall County resident, writes for the Record Newspapers/KendallCountyNow.com, covering Oswego and Plainfield. Schelkopf, who is a Kendall County resident, started with the Kane County Chronicle in December 1988 and appreciates everything the Fox Valley has to offer, including the majestic Fox River.