Homicide Watch Chicago

A man who was found fatally shot Saturday night in the South Side Grand Boulevard neighborhood has been identified as 23-year-old Rachee Williams.

Officers were called about a person on the ground in the 5100 block of South Calumet about 11 p.m. and found Williams lying in a vacant lot, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Williams, of the 11100 block of South Eggleston, was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:52 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide.

Police said a weapon was recovered at the scene.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

By DANIEL BROWN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Artivis Gladney was killed and another man wounded in an Austin neighborhood shooting late Sunday, authorities said.

The men were at a house party about 11:50 p.m. in the 5000 block of West Jackson when shots rang out, according to Chicago Police.

The younger man, identified as the 18-year-old Gladney, was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at 1:23 a.m. Monday, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived on the same block as the shooting.

The older man, 33, suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and right leg, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. He was not cooperating with investigators, police said.

One witness, who preferred to remain anonymous, said he was doing laundry at his mom’s house on the block when he heard shots. He then walked outside and saw the victim lying in a front lawn nearby.
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By MATTHEW HENDRICKSON
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A drunk driver is facing several charges after his passenger, Sydni Murray, was killed in a crash with a U.S. Postal Service truck early Saturday in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, according to police.

Jimmy Payton, 27, has been charged with reckless homicide, two counts of aggravated DUI in an accident causing death, and two counts of aggravated DUI in an accident causing bodily harm, all felonies, according to Chicago Police. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of DUI and cited for disobeying a red light.

The crash happened about 3:20 a.m. in the 3800 block of West Congress when Payton failed to stop his SUV at a red light and collided with the mail truck, police said.
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By ASHLEE REZIN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Fifteen-year-old Trevon D. Smith was killed and a 16-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting early Sunday in a Kenwood neighborhood alley.

It happened just outside Michelle Fulton’s bedroom window.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Fulton, 49, said. “I’ve seen a lot, but nothing like this.”

The teens were walking in the alley about 12:50 a.m. in the 4700 block of South Ellis when a red minivan pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to Chicago Police.

Smith, of the 7300 block of South Dorchester, was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:15 a.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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Eighteen-year-old Chureno Gatewood, a northwest Indiana resident, was killed in an Englewood neighborhood shooting Sunday morning.

Officers responded at 11:25 a.m. to a shooting in the 5700 block of South Union and found Gatewood with a gunshot wound to the upper chest, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:45 a.m., authorities said. He lived in the 300 block of Madison Street in Gary, Indiana.

Police did not have further details on the shooting.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Raygene Jackson was fatally shot Sunday morning during a fight over a dice game in the West Garfield Park neighborhood.

About 4:45 a.m., the 38-year-old Jackson got into a fight with someone who pulled out a gun and shot him in the back of the head in the 4500 block of West Maypole, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A family member said the fight started over a dice game.

Jackson was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died at 1:07 p.m., authorities said. He lived in the 1200 block of South Kildare.

No one was in custody as of Monday morning.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Carlos Harding was killed and another man was injured in a shooting Sunday night in the Austin neighborhood.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 7:40 p.m. in the 500 block of North Lavergne found the men, both 20 years old, with gunshot wounds inside an SUV about four blocks south of the shooting scene in the 100 block of North Lavergne, according to Chicago Police.

Police said the driver of the SUV appeared to have run away.

Harding, of the 4900 block of West Superior, was shot in the head, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:27 p.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The other man was also taken to Stroger with a gunshot wound to the leg, police said. His condition was stabilized.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Christopher H. Roberson was found dead early Thursday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood and an autopsy showed he had been shot and his death has been ruled a homicide.

Officers responding to a call of a person down in the 3200 block of West Washington at 1:59 a.m. found the 25-year-old Roberson on the sidewalk with trauma to the back of his head, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Roberson, of the 7700 block of South Lowe, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:03 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the neck, and his death was ruled a homicide.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Roberson’s father to help with funeral expenses.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Mecahel Holder and two women got some beer and watched Fourth of July fireworks in Humboldt Park.

At midnight, the trio sang “Happy Birthday” for one of the women in the group, who turned 27 on July 5.

Then the celebrations turned deadly when Holder started arguing with 31-year-old Brandon Collins, Cook County prosecutors said in court Thursday.

Collins and two others began shooting at Holder, 34, who was standing in the street in the 1100 block of North Ridgeway, Assistant State’s Attorney Elena Gottreich said.
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By MITCHELL AMENTROUT
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A man has been charged with shooting Torrance Dortch to death earlier this year in the London Town neighborhood on the Far South Side.

James W. Rogers, 26, faces first-degree murder charges for the Jan. 25 attack inside the 39-year-old Dortch’s home in the 1000 block of East 100th Place, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The pair got into an argument about 4:30 p.m. when Rogers pulled out a gun and shot Dortch in the abdomen, authorities allege.

Dortch was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 5:56 p.m.

Rogers, of the 2100 block of West 68th Place, was arrested Wednesday and ordered held without bond at a Saturday hearing, according to Cook County Circuit Court records. He is due in court again Monday.