A Joliet man was found guilty Friday in the murder of Quentin Woods and attempting to murder Woods’ sister in a December 2019 daylight shooting.

The shootings occurred about a block from the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet.

Twelfth Judicial Circuit Judge Carmen Goodman found Matthew Rutledge, 41, of Joliet, guilty of the first-degree murder of Quentin Woods, 38, the attempted murder of Woods’ sister, Tiffany Williams, 39, and for aggravated battery with a firearm.

Rutledge is scheduled for a sentencing hearing Nov. 17. He faces between 45 years to life in prison, according to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Rutledge waived his right to a jury trial and chose to have Goodman decide his fate in a trial that began May 16. The trial was suspended because of a scheduling issues on May 25 and resumed on Monday.

The shooting occurred about 2 p.m. Dec. 20, 2019.

That morning, Rutledge had been driving Williams to several locations in Joliet, according to Williams’ trial testimony. At the time, Williams was in a sexual relationship with Rutledge while he was married to another woman, according to testimony.

Their first stop was at a bank, where Williams withdrew $4,000 in cash from a $113,700 civil settlement she received for injuries suffered in a vehicle crash.

Later that morning, a small amount of the cash was spent on gas for Rutledge’s vehicle, food from McDonald’s and PCP, which she smoked, Williams said.

At some point that day, Williams discovered the remaining cash was missing. Williams testified that she and Woods got together and went to Rutledge’s residence on the 800 block of Sherwood Place, near the cathedral, to search for the money.

While Woods and Williams were at the home, Rutledge’s wife, LeAnn Rutledge, “charged” at Woods, and Williams had to pull her off him, according to Williams’ testimony. Matthew Rutledge was present at the scene, Williams testified, saying she was able to check his vehicle, but didn’t find the missing money.

She heard Woods ask Rutledge why he was wearing black gloves, Williams said, adding she heard Rutledge say he would show Woods why he had the gloves on.

“Next thing I know, he pulled out a gun,” Williams said.

Williams said she and Woods ran away and that she heard five shots before being hit by a bullet, not realizing she was shot until a woman who was driving by the scene told her.

She also testified that she saw Rutledge shoot Woods.

Williams later received treatment for the gunshot wound.

In opening statements, Rutledge’s attorney, Chuck Bretz, told Goodman that his client was acting in self defense and that Woods was the aggressor in the incident.

Bretz said charges never should have been filed against Rutledge and there was a “rush to judgment.” He argued Williams and Woods were high on PCP and other drugs when they showed up at Rutledge’s home with the intent to assault him.

“This was not a situation where they were fleeing from him. In fact, he was being attacked,” Bretz said.

Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Erin Krone said the shooting was not justified and Rutledge had shot Woods multiple times. Woods suffered gunshot wounds to his head, neck, left shoulder, back, lower right abdomen, left hip, right thigh, right leg and a graze wound to one of his toes.

“He continued to shoot [Woods] as he was on the ground,” Krone said.

Krone said Rutledge was wearing gloves when he used the firearm. He concealed the weapon after the shooting, changed his clothes and then shaved his beard off, she said.