Joshua Poe | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Four killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 10:09:04 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Two people were shot to death, and two others were fatally stabbed, last week in Chicago.

Two more people also died last week from violent injuries suffered earlier this year, authorities said.

The most recent slaying happened when 13-year-old Anthony Diaz was fatally shot in the 6000 block of West Grand Avenue in the Belmont Cragin community, authorities said. Family said Diaz and his sisters had left their home to confront someone over Facebook posts.

Diaz, 2100 block of North McVicker Avenue, died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

In the Roseland neighborhood, police found 48-year-old Janice Coleman stabbed to death inside a home in the 11300 block of South Parnell Avenue about noon Sunday, authorities said.

On Wednesday, 20-year-old Curtis Lyons was shot in the 3100 block of West 84th Place in the Ashburn community, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Lyons was part of a group hanging out in the basement of Joshua Poe's residence when Poe, who had been smoking synthetic marijuana earlier in the day, shot Lyons in the head.

Lyons, of the 8000 block of South Richmond Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. Another man, 19, was also wounded.

Poe was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, police said. He was ordered held without bond.

The killing started when 60-year-old Linda Sanders was found beaten and stabbed to death insider her Grand Boulevard home in the 400 block of East 48th Street about 8:45 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Prosecutors claimed Sanders' son, 40-year-old Dwight Brown, came over for dinner Sunday night and beat and stabbed his mother to death when her husband went to work for an overnight shift. Her body was found on the couple's 24th wedding anniversary.

Brown, of the 6200 block of South Dorchester Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery was ordered held without bond, authorities said.

Additionally, two people died last week from violent injuries suffered earlier in this year.

Kenneth Guise, 38, of Kaukauna, Wis., died Thursday night after being shot Jan. 29 during a party in the 11900 block of South Yale Avenue in the West Pullman neighborhood, authorities said.

Myron Collier, 24, of the 10000 block of South Pulaski Road, was also wounded in the shooting and died at the scene, authorities said.

Christopher Cage, 27, of the 300 block of West 109th Place, was initially charged with first-degree murder for Collier's death and attempted murder for shooting Guise, authorities said. He is currently being held without bond.

Cierra Moore died Monday night after being stabbed in a domestic fight at a Roseland gas station in the 10000 block of South Michigan Avenue Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

Prosecutors claimed Moore's girlfriend, 23-year-old Eliza Roper, stabbed Moore during a fight at the gas station. Moore, 27, of Calumet City, was able to drive away, but was found unresponsive in the car about a block away, authorities said.

Roper, also of Calumet City, was charged with first-degree murder and was ordered held on $400,000 bond.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 35 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

UPDATE: Joshua Poe fatally shot 'good friend' Curtis Lyons after smoking synthetic marijuana, prosecutors say

Michael Lansu — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 15:33:03 -0600

Joshua Poe / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Joshua Poe was ordered held without bond Friday after prosecutors claimed he shot his "good friend" Curtis Lyons after smoking synthetic marijuana Wednesday morning in the Ashburn community.

Poe, 26, spent Wednesday morning smoking synthetic marijuana in the basement of his home in the 3100 block of West 84th Place, said Assistant State's Attorney Sarah Karr.

Lyons began to roll a blunt of regular marijuana when, "out of the blue," Poe grabbed a semi-automatic handgun from a nearby table and stood over his "good friend" Lyons and another man sitting on the couch, Karr said.

Poe began to waive the gun around and question the men about their loyalty, Karr said. When other people in the basement attempted to stop Poe, he shot Lyons in the face, prosecutors said.

Lyons, 20, of the 8000 block of South Richmond Street, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Poe then shot the other man, 19, in the leg, Karr said. After being shot, the man asked Poe to take him to the hospital, but Poe only helped him outside, prosecutors said.

Once outside, Poe tossed the gun into the snow and pushed the wounded man to the ground and fled, Karr said.

The man limped back inside and contacted a friend, who called the wounded man's mother, Karr said. The mother called 911, and emergency personnel took him to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for a broken femur.

Police recovered the gun outside the home and police arrested Poe hours later when friends who heard about the shooting became scared and turned him in to police, Karr said.

Poe was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, police said. He was on parole for a stolen weapons conviction, authorities said.

On Friday, Judge Donald Panarese ordered Poe held without bond.

-- Contributing: Rummana Hussain

Joshua Poe charged with murder in Ashburn shooting death of Curtis Lyons

Michael Lansu — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 11:32:19 -0600

Joshua Poe / Photo from Chicago Police

Joshua Poe has been charged with murder in an Ashburn shooting that left Curtis Lyons dead Wednesday afternoon.

Poe, 26, is accused of shooting Lyons and another man during an argument in the 3100 block of West 84th Place about 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Lyons, 20, of the 8000 block of South Richmond Street, was shot in the head and died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The other man, 19, was shot in the leg and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment, police said.

Poe, who lived on the block, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, police said. He was on parole for a stolen weapons conviction, authorities said.

Poe is expected to appear in court Friday for a bond hearing.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire