Man Sentenced to 47 Years for Setting Homeless Man on Fire in River North
A judge has sentenced Joseph Guardia, 30, to 47 years in prison for setting a well-known homeless man on fire in River North, resulting in the victim’s death weeks later. Guardia pleaded guilty to one count of murder in exchange for the sentencing by Judge Timothy Joyce.
The incident occurred on May 25, 2022, when Guardia, who was AWOL from two pending burglary cases, came across 75-year-old Joseph “Walking Man” Kromelis sleeping near a loading dock on lower Wabash Avenue near the Trump Tower around 3 a.m.
Surveillance video from Trump Tower showed Guardia approaching Kromelis as he slept, pouring a liquid believed to be gasoline from a McDonald’s cup onto Kromelis’ head, and setting him on fire. Kromelis was on fire for about three minutes before security guards extinguished the flames.
Despite doctors believing Kromelis’ injuries were not survivable, he fought for his life for nearly seven months before passing away. Police were able to track Guardia’s movements before and after the attack through surveillance footage from various locations.
Guardia was eventually arrested in Melrose Park after a tip from a member of the public who recognized him from a wanted bulletin. During police interviews, Guardia claimed he found the gasoline-filled cup and set blankets on fire, not knowing a person was underneath.
Prosecutor Danny Hanichak described Guardia’s actions as “a special kind of evil” and emphasized the horrific nature of the attack on Kromelis. At the time of the murder, Guardia had two arrest warrants for burglary cases and was also facing an aggravated battery charge while in jail awaiting trial for the murder.
The sentencing of Guardia to 47 years in prison serves as a form of justice for the heinous crime committed against Joseph Kromelis, known as the “Walking Man” in River North.
