Damien Thomas / Photo from Chicago Police
BY SAFIYA MERCHANT
Homicide Watch Chicago
Damien Thomas was denied bond Friday for his alleged role in a Chicago Lawn area home invasion that led to the murder of Jeremiah Brown.
Thomas is accused of being part of a group that broke into the Southwest Side home and fatally shot Brown during a failed getaway.
Thomas, Dorvell Gogins and a third suspect entered the home in the 6300 block of South Kedzie Avenue about 2:45 pm. July 11 and found Brown, a woman and her two small children, prosecutors said.
The group told Brown, 27, to stay near the ground and Gogins took the woman to a bedroom, prosecutors said. Gogins began searching the room, but Brown told the group “the stuff they were looking for” was in a gold Lexus.
Thomas, 21, and Gogins, 24, left the home in a green van, prosecutors said. The third suspect stayed at the home and got into a fight with Brown.
The unidentified suspect ran away after the fight, and Brown drove off in the Lexus, prosecutors said.
The van collided with a fence at a nearby Walgreens, and Gogins got out of the crashed van and opened fire on the Lexus, prosecutors said.
Brown stopped near the Walgreens, got out and collapsed, prosecutors said. Brown, of the 6200 block of South Albany Avenue, died on the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Gogins was found in an alley behind the Walgreens with two broken legs, authorities said.
Thomas, also known as “Shorty Cook,” was seen running from the murder, and was later identified in a lineup, authorities said. Thomas, of the 2300 block of West 65th Street, was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder and home invasion with the use of a firearm.
On Friday Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Thomas held without bond. He is scheduled to be back in court Nov. 13.
Thomas, who a police arrest report identified as an admitted member of the Gangster Disciples, lives with his mom and siblings and has been working for the past year, his public defender said.
Gogins, who was also charged with murder, will be back in court Nov. 26. The third suspect is not in custody.