A New Lenox man who was acquitted in a Joliet Township murder case last year has been arrested after he was accused of battery of a shopper at Walmart.

At close to 7 p.m. on Sunday, an officer was sent to Walmart in New Lenox in response to a report of a battery, according to a statement from the New Lenox Police Department.

The victim, who was shopping at the store, claimed they were approached by a person in a mask and hood, police said. The victim was nevertheless able to identify that person as 27-year-old Anthony Francimore, police said.

Francimore allegedly attempted to punch the victim with a closed fist and the two had fought briefly before Francimore fled the scene, police said.

The victim had minor scratches and did not require medical attention, police said.

Francimore later arrived at the New Lenox Police Department and he was taken into custody on probable cause of battery, police said.

Francimore once faced a charge of felony murder and armed robbery following the investigation of a 2018 fatal shooting in Joliet Township.

A jury found Francimore guilty of those offenses in 2023. Francimore then filed his own motion for a new trial or for a judge to set aside his verdict.

On March 7, 2025, Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius found the evidence in the trial did not support the conviction of armed robbery. As a result, Cornelius acquitted Francimore of armed robbery and felony murder.