Fatal Smithville Shooting

Tools

By Gina Ford

A Bartonville woman is dead and her daughter critically injured after both were shot this morning in Smithville. Crystal Saric, 43, and her mother 63-year-old Geraldine Worske were allegedly shot by Saric's estranged husband, 40-year-old Joseph Saric.

Authorities say members of a church just a block away from the Saric's home called police around 9:30 Sunday morning after Crystal and her mother arrived seeking help. Worske sustained a single gunshot to the chest, Crystal was shot multiple times.

Joseph Saric, the alleged shooter, was at large for several hours, but after a standoff, police located and arrested him on a road in rural Glasford. Residents were told to take cover.

"We'll they're not letting me in because of whatever's going on and they told me to call my son and tell them to stay in the basement," Rural Glasford Resident Danny Vaughn said.

Peoria County Sheriff describes the standoff between police and Joseph Saric, "He's standing there and he has a gun in his pocket and we'er standing 15 or 20 feet away telling him we just want him to give up, so that's what we did. We had a negotiator there that talked. Everybody there did a nice job and no more people were hurt and we were allowed to make the arrest."

Geraldine Worske was pronounced dead in front of Smithville Bible Church. Crystal Saric was taken to OSF St. Francis Medical Center, and is being treated.

Crystal had been staying with her parents in Bartonville over the course of her separation.

The Saric's have a nine-year-old daughter, who has been staying with family in Wisconsin.

Police believe Joseph Saric acted alone. He's currently be held at the Peoria County Sheriff's Department.

Tuesday, Oct 20 at 2:55 PM washington part 3 wrote ...

you guys. and i hope those of you who are being so hateful and rude learn your lesson. because someday, you will need people there for you and it will hurt your family and friends when people judge you the way that you have been judging.

Tuesday, Oct 20 at 2:54 PM washington part 2 wrote ...

are hurting her because you think you matter in this situation somehow. everyone involved needs love and support. everyone needs to think about how this effects everyone. stop trying to be hurtful and mean just because you knew them or you read about them. that doesnt mean you know anything. only the people there will ever know the real story. there is just never an excuse for anything like this. i hope you all realize that the actions of one person cause hurt for many. i hope for the best for

Tuesday, Oct 20 at 2:50 PM washington wrote ...

everyone involved in this has lost something. All the people posting hateful comments need to think about what would YOU do if it were your mother, your daughter, son, husband, wife or whatever. there is never an excuse for a reaction like this. he made the decision to take a life, to hurt people and now, he wont be involved with his daughter. if he loved them so much he would have thought about that. but he didnt. and now someday his daughter may see these things that people are saying and you

Monday, Oct 19 at 7:17 PM Concerned in Bartonville wrote ...

Maybe when someone we are friends with are going through something like a divorce or whatever, we can maybe think to reach out and see if we can listen, so perhaps things like this won't happen! So sorry for everyone involved! God Bless

Monday, Oct 19 at 2:31 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Sympathy and compasion. Not Judgement and Accusations. R.I.P. Grandma

Monday, Oct 19 at 2:30 PM From Washington wrote ...

STOLE a life from your family for whatever reason, would that reason be justified. Because the person was angry would that make it okay to end a life and many more conected? It would not. I think Joe was a bad person and I am sad that he felt the way he did but that does not excuse his actions. Feel sympathy for the deseace that will never breath again. Or the wife in a hospital bed with holes in her body that shouldn't be there. This as a tradgedy to say the least and EVERYONBE envolved needs

Monday, Oct 19 at 10:19 AM Praying wrote ...

This is a terribly sad tragedy! My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved!

Monday, Oct 19 at 9:40 AM Cousin from Washington wrote ...

None of you know what you are talking about, you just know what you hear and see on the news. Don't make comments when you don't know my family and know what really happened. Shame on you. Only He has the power to judge.

Monday, Oct 19 at 9:19 AM TO LOL AS WELL wrote ...

Who in the heck are you to judge.. Saying people sound"in educated" for posting comments..NEWS FLASH THIS IS A PUBLIC MESSAGE BOARD!!!If news 25 did not think it was apporiate these post would not be published. As for these people posting this they are showing concern just by posting something, regardless of what they are posting and know this is a terrible thing to happen.As for you I would watch how you pass judgement...OH lets see frikin it's spelled freaking..who sounds"in educated" now!!!

Monday, Oct 19 at 5:00 AM to lol wrote ...

its seems you are doin the same thing the others are doing speaking thier mind except you are the olny embarrising yourself lmao

Sunday, Oct 18 at 11:21 PM josh bridgman wrote ...

i drive everyday to work on that road ..and was on that road just after that happened i was always told that smithville was full of kind compassionate people..im so sorry for this tragedy in your wonderful community..i will pray for you all..how a moment of rash thinking can mess up all your lives forever

Sunday, Oct 18 at 9:55 PM G wrote ...

unbelievable Joe...this guy you would never have dreamed he would do anything like this

Sunday, Oct 18 at 7:57 PM astonished wrote ...

I would see this man daily at our children's school. Never in a million years would I expect this to happen. Just remember with all the insensitive comments, that there is an innocent child involved it this.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 7:42 PM Brad wrote ...

My parents live next next door, my dad is the pastor of the church, Geraldine, Crystal and Charlotte we all members of the church. This is very sad and the family needs a lot of prayer

Sunday, Oct 18 at 7:40 PM Paul wrote ...

Joe wtf happened?You were not alone in this world.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 7:30 PM commentsense wrote ...

The headline should read...Man shoots cheating wife and mother in law...it should alot of times but it never does...not a justafacation ...just an observation....

Sunday, Oct 18 at 6:25 PM Sammy wrote ...

You rural white people fight really tight. So is this the way Redneckville is?

Sunday, Oct 18 at 6:14 PM huh? wrote ...

"lol" is right. please stop posting everyone. obviously "lol" knows it all, and we dont want to embarrass ourselves by looking "in educated".

Sunday, Oct 18 at 6:02 PM kj wrote ...

re lol: are you kidding me? here are concerned people, wanting to give prayers, and you are laughing about this? you need help as well. please explain what "in educated" means? you made a post too, hmmm, think about that. they shouldn't allow persons like yourself to post on stories like this. your comment is offensive and disgusting. you should be shaken that things go on like this next door. my thoughts are with crystal. she needs all the help she can get.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 5:51 PM Anon wrote ...

It is too bad that he did not ask for help. Maybe this could have been prevented. She needs our prayers.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 4:28 PM Anonymous wrote ...

its three houses down from me, really why are people like that?

Sunday, Oct 18 at 4:18 PM ? wrote ...

this is to close to home! what the hell is wrong with people!

Sunday, Oct 18 at 4:00 PM Anonymous wrote ...

What about their daughter? Didnt he stop to think what this will do to her.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 3:59 PM amy evans wrote ...

this happened right down the road from my house. was this guy at large til 330??? scary.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 3:47 PM heath wrote ...

my husband worked with the man, they were going through a nasty divorce, of which he had more than he could handle apparently, but still it is so sad he was unable to deal with his grief of what was going on.

Sunday, Oct 18 at 3:31 PM Ted wrote ...

Heard this on the scanner this morning. How sad. What's the matter with people? How can someone have so much hate?

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

WEEK News 25 - and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

More Good Stuff

Advertisement
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Stock Quotes

What's On TonightFull Schedule

Local Business Dir