Second Defendant Convicted In Joliet Double Murder

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 8, 2014 6:00PM

Joshua Miner, one of four people charged in the grisly 2013 double murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins in Joliet, was found guilty by a Will County Judge Wednesday. Miner waived his right to a jury trial and was convicted by Will County Judge Gerald Kinney. Miner faces a mandatory term of life in prison when he’s due to be sentenced by Kinney Nov. 12.

Miner was described as the mastermind behind the plot to rob and kill Glover and Rankins, along with Bethany McKee, Adam Landerman and Alisa Massaro. During the trial, Miner’s attorneys acknowledged he killed Rankins but argued he should not be convicted of Glover’s murder, who was allegedly choked to death by Landerman. Miner could have avoided the life sentence if he was only found guilty of Rankins’ murder.

McKee, who also waived her right to a jury trial and was convicted, is due to be sentenced Oct. 16. Landerman is still awaiting trial while Massaro pleaded guilty to robbery and to concealing a homicide in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence and agreed to testify against the other three. Prosecutors did not call Massaro to the witness stand during Miner’s trial.