McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Vonau told jurors Thursday that Ladell Walker Sr. “sells drugs and people die.” After about four hours of deliberating, they found Walker guilty of drug-induced homicide in the death of Jacob Schramm, 43.

Schramm was found dead in his room where he lived at the Sunset Motel in Marengo on Sept. 12, 2023 – two days after he bought fentanyl from Walker, prosecutors argued this week.

Assistant State’s Attorney John Tarczon reiterated testimony the jury had heard about text messages between Walker, 47, of Elgin and Jacob Schramm planning a drug deal. They also saw a map of cell towers and pings placing them together in a parking lot in Elgin on Sept. 10, 2023.

Schramm was found dead two days later with a rolled up receipt and grayish powder close buy that tested positive for fentanyl. Tarczon reminded jurors of expert testimony that an autopsy showed Schramm “had more than 18 times the lethal dose” of fentanyl in his system, “with some leftover.”

Schramm was “suffering great pain” daily due to his work as a mechanic working on farm equipment for local farmers, prosecutors said; he’d also suffered a broken back at a previous job working on oil rigs.

Like many people, the prosecutor said, Schramm became addicted to prescription pain pills, and also like many people suffering pain, when he ran out or was unable to secure a prescription, he turned to a drug dealer.

“Jacob Schramm was a working-class guy who lived modestly at a Marengo hotel,” Tarczon told jurors detailing the origins of Schramm’s pain. And, Ladell “exploited” Schramm and profited off his pain, Tarczon said. Ladell exploited Schramm “to make a quick dollar ... destroy families and destroy lives,” Tarczon said.

The prosecutor also referred to testimony from a detective who worked undercover in 2012 setting up drug deals with Ladell, saying the detective presented the same modus operandi Ladell used when he sold to Schramm: He set up then switched locations.

But Assistant Public Defender Matthew Feda said Ladell is not the person who sold Schramm the drugs.

Feda agreed with prosecutors that Schramm’s death “is a tragedy.” He referred to a photo prosecutors showed on a screen of Schramm dead and said: “It is emotional to see something like that, but that does not mean Ladell Walker is guilty of drug-induced homicide. The state failed to prove [Ladell is] guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

He said the language used in text messages indicated Ladell was meeting up with Schramm so he could work on Ladell’s truck and noted a nearby auto parts store. Feda also said Ladell’s DNA was not found on the baggies containing the fatal dose of fentanyl in Schramm’s bathroom.

Feda reminded jurors of trial testimony that on that baggie, there was DNA from Schramm, another identified man and an unidentified DNA from a third person. The attorney also said cellphone towers show the man whose DNA was identified on the baggie was near the area during the time prosecutors say Ladell sold the drugs to Schramm.

However, prosecutors had argued that the drug deal took place in front of a dollar store, and there are no text messages between Schramm and this other man and neither was listed as a contact in the other’s cellphone. Prosecutors also showed jurors a picture of Ladell’s phone in which he named Schramm in his contacts with dollar signs.

Court records show the man whose DNA was said to be on the baggie is an Elgin resident who has not been charged in connection with Schramm’s death, but he was subpoenaed to testify for the state this week. He did not show up for court, and on Monday Judge Tiffany Davis signed a warrant for his arrest, documents show.

This is not Walker’s first conviction. In McHenry County, he was convicted in 1998 of manufacturing with intent to deliver 1 to 15 grams of cocaine; after violating probation, he was sentenced to prison for four years, records show.

In Kane County, Walker was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 2013 and sentenced to 42 months in prison, court records show. In 2004, he was convicted of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance near a school and sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to court records.

Walker, who had been out of the county jail on pretrial release, was remanded to jail following the verdict.

Conviction on the Class X felony carries a prison term of six to 30 years. However, due to his criminal history, he may be eligible for an extended sentence.