Homicide Watch Chicago

By TOM SCHUBA and MATTHEW HENDRICKSON
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Tatyanna Lewis | Facebook

Chynna Stapleton was charged Sunday first-degree murder for allegedly using an SUV to ram Lewis into a tree and run her over multiple times Friday night in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the Far South Side.

Lewis, known to friends as “Tata,” was killed following an argument just after 11 p.m. in the 11400 block of South May, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Lewis was the daughter of a Chicago cop, police confirmed Sunday night.

Friends on Facebook posted that Stapleton was the ex-girlfriend of Lewis’ boyfriend, and the argument was over the man. About two hours before the incident, Lewis posted to Facebook: “His bm say she pulling up im on the block right nowwww please don’t send me off 😂💯.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay funeral expenses for Lewis, a nursing student.

Following the argument, Stapleton got into a Jeep Liberty, accelerated and drove up onto the sidewalk, crushing Lewis against a tree, community activist Andrew Holmes said. Holmes, who said he was working with Lewis’ family, said Stapleton then backed up the SUV and ran over Lewis at least two more times.
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Jerry William Ausin was slain in a Fernwood neighborhood drive-by shooting late Thursday on the Far South Side, according to Chicago Police.

About 11:45 p.m., the 41-year-old Austin was standing on the sidewalk in the 10100 block of South LaSalle when someone in a vehicle shot him in the chest and hand, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead about two hours later at 1:57 a.m. Friday, police said.

Austin lived in the Far South Side Riverdale neighborhood.

No one was in custody as of early Monday.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Zieyeal Easterling, an aspiring rapper who recorded songs as Uptown Luckie, was fatally shot early Friday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side, according to authorities.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired at 2:52 a.m. in the 100 block of North California found a car riddled with bullets and the 32-year-old Easterling slumped inside in the 100 block of North California, Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Easterling, who lived in the West Ridge neighborhood, had suffered three gunshot wounds to the head, and more to the back. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Easterling had recorded songs under a couple of different names, including Uptown Luckie, Luckie Luciano and Luckie Jones.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Terrance Bingham was shot to death Thursday afternoon just a block from his home in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

About 5:20 p.m., the 29-year-old Bingham was in the 1100 block of North Long when he was shot multiple times on the left side of his body, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Bingham was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, where he died at 5:35 p.m., authorities said. He lived about a block away in the same neighborhood where he was killed.

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

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Antrell Johnson | Chicago Police

A man charged in connection with the West Englewood neighborhood shooting last month that left Taurean Dwayne Tyler dead and a teenager wounded on the South Side has been ordered held without bond.

Antrell Johnson, 21, faces one count each of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, according to Chicago Police.

Shortly after 7:30 p.m. on April 24, 19-year-old Tyler and a 17-year-old boy were walking in the 6900 block of South Honore when a black car approached, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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Mack McClinton was wounded in a shooting last winter just a block from his East Garfield Park neighborhood home on the West Side. On Wednesday, the 22-year-old died from those injuries.

Mack ‘Lil Mack’ McClinton | Facebook

A dark-colored vehicle drove past and someone inside started shooting, police said. McClinton was struck in the neck, and the boy was hit in the back.

Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where McClinton was initially listed in serious condition and the boy in good condition.

McClinton, who lived a block away from the shooting site, was pronounced dead at 10:06 p.m. Wednesday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Thursday found he died of complications from the gunshot wound, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The Collins High alumnus was known as “Lil Mack” to friends.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Jacobie Lee James was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in the Lawndale neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

At 2:47 p.m., the 19-year-old James was standing in the 3800 block of West Ogden when a black vehicle pulled up, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Two people got out from the back of the vehicle and started shooting, police said. The vehicle then drove away.

James was shot in the head and chest, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:11 p.m., authorities said. He lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

By JEFF MAYES
Homicide Watch Chicago

A burst of gang violence in the Southwest Side Brighton Park neighborhood on Sunday left three people dead, including a brother and sister visiting a memorial for a slain friend, and capped a week that saw seven people killed in homicides across the city as Chicago neared the 200 homicide mark.

While the 200th homicide was not recorded until Monday, Sunday’s outbreak of gun violence — perpetrated by gang members using assault rifles, according to Chicago Police — left three dead and eight wounded in two separate incidents on the same block.

Michael A. Williams and his sister Adriana Williams had stopped at a memorial service for a friend killed hours earlier. As the gatherers mourned, two gunmen, opened fire on the crowd, leaving the siblings dead and eight other people wounded about 5:15 p.m. Sunday at Rockwell Street and 46th Place, according to police.

Michael Williams, 24; and Adriana Williams, 27, were both shot multiple times, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Michael was pronounced dead at the scene, while Adriana was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:57 p.m.
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Derrick Nelson was fatally shot Wednesday morning in the North Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side.

At 8:52 a.m., the 30-year-old Nelson was standing at the corner of 13th Street and Independence Boulevard when a man walked up, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office

The suspect pulled out a gun and shot Nelson several times. He was struck once in the head, once in each arm, and multiple times in the body, police said.

Nelson was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:28 a.m., authorities said. He lived in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.

The gunman ran away after the shooting, police said.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

When Jesse Woods III was found shot to death late Tuesday in the Calumet Heights neighborhood on the South Side, it marked the city’s 200th homicide of 2017.

Police responded to a call of shots fired about 10:15 p.m. and discovered the 31-year-old Woods lying on the sidewalk in the 9200 block of South Chappel, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He had been shot in the back and the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:30 p.m., authorities said. He lived in the Gresham neighborhood.

The circumstances of the shooting were not known as Area South detectives investigate, police said.

Woods’ death was at least the 200th homicide in the city this year, according to Chicago Sun-Times records. In 2016, the city reached 200 homicides two days earlier, on May 7. Chicago saw a total of 781 homicides in 2016, the most in two decades.

In 2015, the city reached 200 homicides on June 18. There were a total of 482 homicides that year.

The homicide total does not include two people fatally shot by Chicago Police officers, nor nine other homicide victims who died in 2017 of injuries suffered in previous years.

No one was in custody for Woods’ shooting as of Thursday morning.