Prosecutors: James Dixon, Jemal Ross beat Andre Hughes then shot him four times in Austin

Michael Lansu — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 17:08:51 -0600

James Dixon / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Two men have been charged with murder for allegedly beating a man bloody then dragging his body to an alley and shooting him four times for disrespecting their gang last week week in the Austin neighborhood.

Jemal Ross allegedly got into an argument with Andre Hughes over gang affiliations at a liquor store, prosecutors said.

After the argument, Ross then went to an apartment building in the 300 block of North Central Avenue and told James Dixon that Hughes disrespected their gang, prosecutors said.

Multiple witnesses then saw Ross and Dixon attack Hughes about 9 p.m. Feb. 13 as he drank beer and visited with friends in the same apartment building, prosecutors said.

The two men trapped Hughes on a stairwell and Dixon asked Hughes if he had a gun, prosecutors said. Hughes just smiled and drank his beer.

Ross reminded Dixon that Hughes allegedly disrespected their gang, and Dixon punched Hughes, prosecutors said. Hughes fell down the stairs and hit his head on the wall.

Ross then approached a bleeding Hughes and kicked him in the head repeatedly until he was unresponsive, prosecutors said. Ross and Dixon then dragged Ross outside and shot him four times.

Police found Hughes, 30, in an alley in the 300 block of North Parkside Avenue, authorities said.

Hughes, of an unidentified home address, was dead on the scene. An autopsy conducted Friday found Hughes died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

Witnesses in the apartment building saw Dixon and Ross beat Hughes and drag his bleeding body out of the building, prosecutors said. A witness then heard a man moaning in the back of the building and heard four gunshots.

A few minutes after the shooting, Dixon came back inside the building and borrowed a mop, prosecutors said. Dixon allegedly mopped up the trail of blood.

Surveillance video shows both Dixon and Ross entering the building before the shooting, prosecutors said. Ross later admitted to the beating and implicated himself and Dixon in the shooting.

Jemal Ross / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

Dixon, 18, of the 100 block of North Parkside Avenue, and Ross, 24, of the 6500 block of South Maplewood Avenue, were each charged with first-degree murder, according to court records.

On Tuesday, Judge Laura Sullivan ordered Dixon held on $1 million bond and Ross held on $900,000 bond.

Dixon is out on bond for a pending possession of a controlled substance charge, according to court records. Ross was sentenced to two years probation for a 2008 possession of a controlled substance case, prosecutors said.

Jemal Ross | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: James Dixon, Jemal Ross beat Andre Hughes then shot him four times in Austin