Homicide Watch Chicago

The death of 15-year-old Mario Venegas Jr. on Saturday morning has been ruled a homicide, though police initially said a Humboldt Park neighborhood shooting that killed him was self-inflicted.

Venegas suffered a gunshot wound to the head about 1:15 p.m. Friday inside a building in the 2700 block of West Evergreen, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died at 8:58 a.m. Saturday, authorities said. He lived in 2000 block of West McLean.

An autopsy Sunday ruled his death a homicide, though police initially said the wound was self-inflicted.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A 16-year-old boy shot to death in a vacant lot Friday afternoon in the Park Manor neighborhood has been identified as Delance Price.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired at 12:39 p.m. in the 6700 block of South Wabash found the boy unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. He lived just two blocks away in the 6900 block of South Wabash.

No one was in custody for the shooting as of early Monday.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Maurice Selvy was killed and another man wounded in a shooting Saturday morning on the Near North Side, just a block from the victim’s home.

The pair were outside in the 800 block of North Cambridge when someone opened fire about 3 a.m., striking a the 32-year-old Selvy in the head and abdomen, and a 33-year-old man in the torso, according to Chicago Police.

They were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where Selvy was pronounced dead at 3:11 a.m., the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. Selvy, known to friends as Reese D, lived in the 900 block of North Cambridge.

The older man was listed in good condition, but police said he was being uncooperative with detectives.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Miguel Bahena was shot to death early Saturday in the West Ridge neighborhood on the North Side.

A man, 18, was shot to death in the 2100 block of West Devon Avenue Friday. | NVP News

The 18-year-old was walking about 12:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of West Devon Avenue when a male in a gray hoodie and light blue pants began shooting at him, , according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:37 a.m.

Bahena lived in the 5600 block of North Campbell Avenue, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Area North detectives are conducting a homicide investigation.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Penny Gearhart | Facebook

Penny Gearhart, a fixture in the Uptown community for her work with StreetWise and other homeless programs, was killed Wednesday afternoon when she was caught in gang crossfire on a North Side street near where she lived and often worked.

The 57-year-old Gearhart was walking with a 58-year-old man when they were caught in the middle of a gang-related shooting about 3:15 p.m. on a sidewalk in the 4500 block of North Sheridan, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Someone in a passing vehicle opened fire, striking both victims, police said. They were taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where Gearhart died, according to the medical examiner’s office, which said she lived on the 4500 block of North Broadway. An autopsy showed she was killed by a bullet that struck her arm and went into her chest.

The man was shot in the leg and was listed in good condition, police said.

StreetWise posted a statement on Facebook concerning the death of Gearhart, who worked as a vendor for the publication.
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By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

James Jackson | Illinois Dept. of Corrections

Jackson, 38, was sentenced to 28 years after being convicted of attempted murder and aggravated domestic battery for the July 21, 2006, incident in the Austin neighborhood where they lived, Assistant State’s Attorney Liam Reardon said during a bond hearing Thursday.

McClellan, 30, was paralyzed from the waist down after the stabbing and was permanently confined to a wheelchair, Reardon said.

She died at 7:54 p.m. June 12 at Kindred Hospital Chicago in west suburban Northlake, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

McClellan and Jackson had been in a dating relationship for four years and had two children together, Reardon said. But on July 20, 2006, the couple got into a fight and McClellan asked Jackson to move out of their apartment in the 100 block of North Lorel.
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A person is in custody after Michael Montgomery was stabbed to death Wednesday morning in his Ashburn neighborhood home.

Montgomery, 51, was stabbed multiple times in the upper body about 5:10 a.m. during a “domestic dispute” at his home in the 3900 block of West 85th Street, according to Chicago Police and Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Montgomery was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 7:34 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Thursday found he died of multiple sharp-force injuries and his death was ruled a homicide.

The suspect was also taken to Christ for a psychological evaluation, according to police. Charges were pending.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Toryius Keefer crashed his vehicle after he was fatally shot in the head early Thursday in the Roseland neighborhood.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 10200 block of South Lafayette about 2:35 a.m. and found a vehicle crashed into the side of the garage, according to Chicago Police.

EMS paramedics had already arrived and informed officers that the 21-year-old had been shot in the left eye, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Keefer, known as Tory, lived in the 11000 block of South Parnell, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The vehicle had also sustained gunshot damage, according to police.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Janet Strickland | Cook County Sheriff’s Dept.

Janet Strickland encouraged 23-year-old William Strickland to shoot her husband of nearly 30 years six times in the back on March 2, 2013, according to Cook County prosecutors.

Prosecutors said she was tired of her husband’s unwillingness to spend money and wanted “nice things.”

The 72-year-old man had just walked out of their home in the 400 block of East 95th Street to grab a bus to his weekly dialysis treatment when he was shot, prosecutors said.
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David J. Plank was shot to death and 17-year-old girl wounded Wednesday afternoon in the Avalon Park neighborhood.

About 2:15 p.m., the 54-year-old Plank was driving to work in the 8400 block of South Stony Island when he heard gunfire and realized he’d been hit in the upper torso, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Police said the bullet entered Plank’s vehicle through the passenger door.

Plank, of the 9000 block of South Parkside in Oak Lawn, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 3:11 p.m., authorities said. An autopsy Thursday ruled his death a homicide.

A 17-year-old girl who was walking in the area suffered a graze wound to the right calf, police said. She was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she was treated and released.

Neither Plank nor the teen are thought to be the intended targets of the shooting, police said Thursday afternoon. Police initially thought Plank was shot during a “possible road rage incident,” but that proved not to be the case. It was not clear who was being targeted in the shooting.

The suspect may have been driving or shooting from a white, four-door car, police said. Area South detectives are conducting a homicide investigation.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire