Estranged parents of man charged in Edwardsville murder are ‘devastated,’ attorney says
Timothy Banowetz’s parents and two younger brothers hadn’t seen him for two and a half years when they learned of his arrest in the Jan. 4 stabbing death of Edwardsville attorney Randy Gori.
That’s according to Greg Wittner, an attorney with the St. Louis law firm Rosenblum, Schwartz & Fry. He helped the family prepare a public statement that was released to KMOV News 4 on Friday afternoon.
The statement read:
“Our heartfelt prayers go out to Randy Gori, his family, and the community impacted by this harm and destruction. It’s unimaginable the pain that must be felt. Our family is grieving and seeking answers as well. Timothy has been estranged from the family and we are shocked to have discovered him in this way.
“We are praying that love is shown to those hurting and that wisdom is given to those seeking the truth. We additionally pray that our privacy is respected at this time.”
Timothy Banowetz, 28, is being held in the Madison County Jail without bond. His family includes parents Julie and Kevin Banowetz, of O’Fallon, Missouri, and brothers Brad and Jonathan Banowetz.
Julie Banowetz is a registration assistant at St. Charles Community College and a former paraprofessional and track and field coach with Fort Zumwalt School District, according to her LinkedIn page. Kevin is self-employed, Brad is a Tesla sales representative and Jonathan is a college student.
Wittner said they are all “devastated” and that Julie Banowetz couldn’t stop crying in his law office, not only for her son but for Gori’s two children.
“They’re trying to digest and comprehend the horror that their son has been accused of,” Wittner said. “But at the same time, there’s unconditional love, even with the fact that they’re estranged. They’re parents who love their child, and they’re trying to make sense of something that there’s no way to make sense of.”
Police found Gori dead about 9 p.m. Jan. 4 in his home at 4586 Mooney Creek Lane, northeast of Edwardsville. They called in the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to investigate.
On Jan. 6, the Madison County state’s attorney’s office announced that Timothy Banowetz had been charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, vehicle theft and unlawful restraint. He had been apprehended the morning of Jan. 5 in woods about 1,200 feet from the Gori home.
According to charging documents, Timothy Banowetz bound the hands of Gori and two minors before using a knife to stab Gori to death, then he stole cash and two cellphones and fled in the family’s Rolls-Royce SUV.
“(The Banowetzes) have not seen Timothy,” Wittner said. “And with all due respect to the Gori family, there is still a concern for their son, despite the horrific allegations against him.”
Timothy Banowetz formerly lived in Wentzville, Missouri. At a news conference, investigators described him as a “transient and nomadic type.” He attended St. Louis College of Pharmacy last fall. Court records show he was evicted from a St. Louis apartment in December.
Wittner isn’t representing Timothy Banowetz in the criminal case. On Jan. 8, a Third Judicial Circuit Court judge appointed Madison County Public Defender John Rekowski to represent him.
Julie and Kevin Banowetz hired Wittner to help them with the public statement after being inundated by media requests.
“It was gut-wrenching to meet with the family and to see these wonderful people going through this turmoil as this tragedy has suddenly been thrust upon them,” Wittner said. “Listening to what they were dealing with, I thought that it was very important to get the human element out as to who they are.”
