WEEK IN REVIEW: Five fatally shot, one stabbed to death throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 09:51:22 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Five people were fatally shot and one person was stabbed to death last week in Chicago.

Four of the killings happened over the weekend, when at least 16 other people were shot and wounded.

The most recent slaying happened when police performing a well-being check found 25-year-old Berwyn resident Linda Soto shot multiple times and 17-year-old Steven Griffin dead with a gunshot wound to his mouth in an apparent murder-suicide in his home in the 6500 block of South Kimbark Avenue about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

On Saturday, 40-year-old Juan Martinez was stabbed while standing with his girlfriend in the 2000 block of West 47th Street in the Back of the Yards community about 4:10 p.m., authorities said.

Martinez, of the 4600 block of North Central Park Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, 18-year-old Jonathan Ramirez and 22-year-old Santos Bueno were shot inside a vehicle parked in the 1000 block of West 18th Street in the Pilsen neighborhood about 1:30 a.m., authorities said.

Ramirez, of an unidentified home address, and Bueno, of the 7900 block of South Kilpatrick Avenue, were each shot multiple times and died at the scene, authorities said.

On Tuesday, 28-year-old Antinino Walker was shot when gunfire erupted during a home invasion in the 8000 block of South Dante Avenue in the Avalon Park community about 1:20 p.m., authorities said.

Prosecutors said Walker and two acquaintances went to the home to collect money from a dice game when gunfire erupted and he was shot in the back.

Walker, 28, of the 6500 block of South Champlain Avenue, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County hours later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

One Walker's acquaintances, 21-year-old Isreal Taylor, was charged with his murder. The other acquaintance has not yet been charged.

The killings started when 17-year-old Deonte Hoard was shot in the chest while walking in the 10500 block of South Yates Avenue about 7:20 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Hoard, of the 10500 block of South Oglesby Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Hoard was a senior at Urban Prep-Englewood, where he had been a member of the basketball and track teams, school officials said. He had been accepted to several colleges.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 55 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

Linda Soto killed in murder-suicide in Woodlawn

Michael Lansu — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 09:32:55 -0500

A man and woman were found dead in a Woodlawn apartment Sunday night in what authorities are calling a murder-suicide.

Officers went to 23-year-old Steven Griffin's home in the 6500 block of South Kimbark Avenue about 6:30 p.m. Sunday after a relative called police and requested a well-being check, authorities said.

When nobody answered a knock at the door, the officers forced their way inside, police said.

Police found 25-year-old Linda Soto, of the 3400 block of Harlem Avenue in Berwyn, dead on the floor after being shot multiple times, authorities said.

Griffin was lying nearby with a gunshot wound to his mouth, authorities said.

Monday autopsies ruled Soto's death a homicide and Griffin's death a suicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Steven Griffin | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Five fatally shot, one stabbed to death throughout Chicago

Linda Soto killed in murder-suicide in Woodlawn