Richard Dewey Paulin, a 30-year-old male of unspecified ethnicity, tragically lost his life on July 16, 1983, in Joliet, Illinois. His death was part of a series of brutal murders committed by Milton Johnson, a serial killer who terrorized the Joliet area during the summer of 1983. Johnson's killing spree began in June 1983 and continued through August 1983, claiming the lives of several victims, including Paulin.
On the day of Paulin's death, Johnson ambushed and murdered him along with
two Will County Sheriff's Department auxiliary deputies, Denis Foley and Steven Mayer , near 147th Street in Homer Township. The murders were described as ambush-style killings, and the victims were shot on a remote stretch of road. Paulin's death, along with the other victims, was part of Johnson's violent rampage that shocked the community and led to a massive investigation.
Milton Johnson was eventually arrested in March 1984 for his crimes. He was found guilty and initially sentenced to death by lethal injection. However, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison after then-Illinois Governor George Ryan abolished the death penalty. Johnson's trial revealed the extent of his brutality, with Assistant Will County State's Attorney Steven White describing him as "an animal" during the proceedings.
The tragic loss of Richard Dewey Paulin and the other victims left a lasting impact on the Joliet community and highlighted the need for effective law enforcement measures to prevent such heinous crimes in the future.
