Minooka man accused of aggravated domestic battery two days before alleged Hanover Park killing

Scott Smierciak

GRUNDY COUNTY — A Minooka man has been accused of strangling a woman and cutting her, two days before allegedly killing a Hanover Park man, according to court records.

A Grundy County Grand Jury on Wednesday indicted Scott Smierciak, 25, on aggravated domestic battery. The indictment alleges that Smierciak “strangled” a woman before cutting her “with a shard from a broken bowl” in the Grundy County area on May 14.

Smierciak has been charged with first degree murder, home invasion and residential burglary in the death of Fred Boerma, 58, of Hanover Park, according to police.

Police found Boerma dead at 10:30 p.m. on May 16 inside a residence in the 7900 block of Northway Drive, according to a Hanover Park police press release.

Brandon Beamish

Brandon Beamish, 27, of Joliet was arrested in connection to the Boerma case and charged with first degree murder, home invasion, residential burglary, and being an armed habitual criminal and transported to the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago on May 22, where he was held without bond.

Beamish posted Smierciak’s $3,000 bond in September 2021, after he was charged with domestic battery and aggravated battery to a child. He is accused of “striking” a woman in the face and neck and “striking” a child, “the age of a baby newborn” on the head, according to court records.

Smierciak was transported to the Rolling Meadows 3rd District Courthouse on May 24, where he was held without bond.


Maribeth M. Wilson

Maribeth M. Wilson has been a reporter with Shaw Media for two years, one of those as news editor at the Morris Herald-News. She became a part of the NewsTribune staff in 2023.