WEEK IN REVIEW: Six killed in Chicago violence

Michael Lansu — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 08:59:55 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Four people were shot to death, one man was fatally stabbed and another was beaten and strangled last week in Chicago.

Three of the six murder victims were fatally shot over the weekend, when at least 19 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 18-year-old Alexandria Burgos was shot in the head while sitting in an apartment in the 5300 block of West Oakdale Avenue when gunfire erupted outside about 12:35 a.m., authorities said.

Burgos, of an unidentified home address, died less than an hour later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, 24-year-old Genorel Martin was opening the door to his apartment building in the 6700 block of South Throop Street in West Englewood when a gunman approached about 1 a.m. and fatally shot him near the vestibule, authorities said.

In the Roseland neighborhood, police found 21-year-old Travis L. Wright shot to death in the backseat of a car outside his home in the 9300 block of South Wentworth Avenue about 12:25 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

On Thursday, prosecutors claim 29-year-old Erika Jett fatally stabbed her boyfriend, 30-year-old Rodney Wilson, during a domestic fight in the 5100 block of West Fulton Street, authorities said.

Wilson, of an unidentified home address, died about an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.

Jett was charged with murder and was ordered held on $500,000 bond.

In the South Shore neighborhood, 25-year-old Alexander D. Smith was shot in the 7500 block of South Colfax Avenue about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Smith, of an unidentified home address, was shot multiple times and was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 14-year-old boy was also wounded but survived.

The killing started when a janitor found the body of 45-year-old homeless man Joseph Kaman in a garbage bin at Northwestern Business College in in the 4800 block of North Lipps about 11:45 a.m Tuesday, authorities said.

Prosecutors claim Jake Tate, 27, Todd Cooper, 35, and Daniel Morris, 20, beat, strangled and sodomized Kaman because Tate thought he had stolen his cell phone.

Additionally, 55-year-old ArrowStream CEO Steven LaVoie died last Monday after being shot July 31 in the 200 block of South LaSalle, authorities said. Police said recently demoted employee Tony DeFrances shot LaVoie then turned the gun on himself.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 349 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 13 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different by following federal guidelines, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Loop CEO shot by employee in July dies from injuries

Michael Lansu — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 15:43:06 -0500

Steven LaVoie

BY JON SEIDEL
Homicide Watch Chicago

The Loop CEO shot by a recently demoted executive in July has died, according to an online journal maintained by his family.

The entry announcing ArrowStream CEO Steven LaVoie’s death appears on the website CaringBridge.org. Jody LaVoie, his wife, is listed as its author.

“I am writing to let you know that Steve’s body has succumbed to his numerous injuries,” she wrote. “I had truly hoped to tell a different story now about his recovery, and for so long I believed he would be with us again. But know that the man you all remember so dearly, fought so bravely. Steve brought great dignity and beauty to all of our lives these past months.”

LaVoie, 55, was shot on July 31 by Tony DeFrances, who police said had recently been demoted.

LaVoie and DeFrances were meeting in LaVoie’s office on the 17th floor of the Bank of America building, 231 S. La Salle St., when co-workers outside heard shouts and three or four gunshots, according to a police source. DeFrances, 60, shot LaVoie in the stomach and head before turning the gun on himself, police said.

A father of three who lived in west suburban La Grange, LaVoie started his company out of his home while living in Wicker Park in 2000. It sold supply-chain management technology to large restaurants like Wendy’s and Applebee’s.

It was named by a business trade group as one of Chicago’s best companies to work for the past three years.

LaVoie hired DeFrances 14 years ago. He’d been with the company from nearly the beginning. Before joining ArrowStream, DeFrances founded a successful software company.

DeFrances was demoted July 25 from his position as chief technology officer, police said.

After the shooting, former ArrowStream employee Pete Rocha described LaVoie as an “extremely charismatic individual” who took on the status quo in their industry with a revolutionary mind-set. He said LaVoie cared, on a personal level, about all of his employees.

Fred Hoch, the CEO of the Illinois Technology Association and a friend of LaVoie, said the ArrowStream CEO was one of the happiest people he’d ever met.

“He is always intensely happy. Driven to do things but happy about it.”

On Monday, Jody LaVoie remembered her husband on a CaringBridge.org entry titled “Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.”

“Steve was a man who cared about everyone and was passionate in all aspects of his life,” she wrote. “I always knew this, but over the past few months so many people have reached out to me to share how Steve inspired them, or shared his gift of friendship and kindness.”

Jody LaVoie wrote services for her husband will begin 6 p.m. Friday at the LaGrange Country Club, followed by a service 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church of La Grange. However, she said arrangements are still being finalized, and more details will be announced as they become available.

Tony DeFrances | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six killed in Chicago violence

Loop CEO shot by employee in July dies from injuries