Bond was set at $1 million Wednesday for a Warrenville woman charged with the murder of her daughter’s father, Joseph Strock, 31.
Deanna Coakley, 27, of the 31000 block of Village Green Court, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.
On Feb. 13, at approximately 6:51 p.m., Warrenville police responded to a call at Coakley’s residence for a report of a woman screaming. Upon their arrival, officers found Coakley on top of a male, later identified as Strock, near the front of the residence directly in front of the door, the release stated.
Strock was bleeding from the neck, and a large pool of blood was under his body. He was transported to a local hospital for a laceration to the right side of his neck and was pronounced deceased, the release stated.
Following an investigation by Warrenville police, it is alleged that at some point in the evening, a verbal altercation between Coakley and Strock turned physical at which time Coakley stabbed Strock in the neck with a kitchen knife. Following the stabbing, Strock exited the apartment and collapsed on the ground outside the front door where authorities found him.
“Nationwide, domestic violence remains a silent epidemic that unfortunately occurs predominantly behind closed doors,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “If left unchecked, however, the consequences can be deadly, as is alleged in this case. I urge anyone who finds themselves in an abusive relationship to seek help from any of a multitude of social service programs available throughout the country that offer assistance and guidance to people in an abusive relationship.”
I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Joseph Strock on their loss. I thank the Warrenville Police Department and DuPage County MERIT for their work on this very sad case. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorney Cathy DeLaMar for her efforts in securing a strong prosecution against this defendant.”
Coakley’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 10 for arraignment.