Two teenagers and a man allegedly beat another man to death, stuffed his body in a garbage can and then rolled the trash can a couple blocks away where it was discovered by Streets and Sanitation workers on a Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage route in Englewood earlier this week.
Ernest Pritchett III made the mistake of not producing the money he owed Bryan Perkins as the two men stood outside Perkins’ house South Side home Sunday, Cook County prosecutors said.
An angry Perkins lashed out at the 51-year-old Pritchett by taking a fence slat and hitting Pritchett in the head, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Christy Brewer said.
Then 16-year-old Sokito Taylor and Deshawn Martin, 17, joined in the attack by repeatedly kicking and stomping on Pritchett in the 5900 block of South Emerald, Brewer said.
Perkins, 28, also took a rock from the yard and hit the older man in the head before grabbing a garbage can and dumping Pritchett’s body inside, Brewer said.
The three then allegedly rolled the garbage can through an alley and then several blocks away before leaving it in the 700 block of West 61st.
Perkins chastised a witness for being a “coward” for not helping him beat up Pritchett, Brewer said.
He asked another person to get a garbage bag in which the culprits threw their clothes inside, Brewer said.
The bag was discovered in an alley across the street from the Emerald address.
Pritchett’s body was discovered by Streets and Sanitation workers on Monday — the first day of school on the Safe Passage route to Nicholson Tech Academy, officials said.
A fence slat — possibly one used in the attack — was also inside the trash can, Brewer said.
Taylor, of the 5900 block of South Union, and Martin, of the 5200 block of South Calumet, were ordered held in lieu of $1 million Thursday for murder and concealment of a homicide.
Perkins was also charged but did not appear for a bond hearing with the other two at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.