Ulises Almaraz | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: 14 killed in Chicago violence

Michael Lansu — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 08:19:40 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

At least 14 people were killed throughout Chicago last week.

Seven of the killings happened over the weekend, when at least 24 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killings happened minutes apart on the West Side.

A 53-year-old man was fatally shot in the 4900 block of West Lake Street in the Austin community about 7:10 p.m. Sunday, police said. The Cook County medical examiner's office has not yet released his name.

Less than five minutes later, a 27-year-old man was shot while standing on a sidewalk in the 100 block of North Cicero Avenue in Austin, police said. The medical examiner's office has not yet released his name.

In the Chatham neighborhood, a 25-year-old man was standing in the 0 – 50 block of East 88th Street when a white van pulled up and a gunman inside opened fire about 12:15 p.m., police said.

The man, who has not yet been identified, was shot three times and died less than an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, authorities said.

On Saturday, 25-year-old Kevin O'Malley was shot in the chest during a cellphone robbery in the 900 block of West Oakdale Avenue in Lake View about 2 a.m., authorities said.

Kristopher Pitts, 22, of the 1100 block of North Central Park Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm for the shooting, police said. He was ordered held without bond Sunday.

In the South Shore community, 19-year-old Demetrius P. Hill Jr. was shot in the head in the hallway of a building in the 6800 block of South Ridgeland Avenue about 1:25 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Hill, of the 7100 block of South Constance Avenue, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he later died, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In Pilsen, 43-year-old Rudy Avina was sitting at Simone’s Bar, a popular spot in the 900 block of West 18th Street, when Ulises Almaraz walked up behind him and slit his throat about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, authorities said. Avina, who lived blocks way, was dead at the scene.

Almaraz, of west suburban Berwyn, was ordered held without bond Sunday.

In Little Village, 24-year-old Jose Velasquez was shot in the back in the 2100 block of South Fairfield Avenue about 12:05 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Velasquez, of the 2800 block of West 21st Street, died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 1:41 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Friday, 19-year-old Shaquon Thomas was in the 4800 block of North Kenmore Avenue when gunfire erupted about 1:35 a.m., authorities said.

Thomas, who rapped under the name Young Pappy, died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center less than an hour later, authorities said.

On Thursday, 52-year-old John L. Rainey got into a fight with another man about 11 p.m. in the 300 block of North Menard Avenue in Austin and collapsed afterwards, authorities said.

Rainey, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy determined Rainey died a “sudden death following scuffle” caused by hypertensive and heart disease. Diabetes was also listed as a contributing factor, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.

In West Elsdon, emergency crews found 22-year-old Carlos Herrera and 49-year-old Maria Herrera inside their burning home in the 3600 block of West 55th Place about 2:50 p.m., authorities said.

Prosecutors said 20-year-old Jose Guzman stabbed his aunt and cousin “because he wanted to steal their gold.” Guzman, who was found hiding in a closet at his home in the 3800 block of West 55th Place, was ordered held without bond.

On Monday, 17-year-old Ronnie Shaw Jr. was walking in the 4900 block of West Erie Street in Austin when a gunman confronted him and shot him as he tried to run away about 7:50 p.m., authorities said.

Shaw, of the 4900 block of West Ferdinand Street, died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Bronzeville neighborhood, 19-year-old Robert Richmond was in a vehicle in the 0-100 block of East 36th Place when a gunman in a passing vehicle opened fire about 5:25 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Richmond, of the 6100 block of South King Drive, was shot in the back and a family member took him to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was declared dead at about two hours later, authorities said.

The shooting happened less than a block from Perspectives/IIT Math and Science Academy at 3663 S. Wabash Ave. and about a block south of Chicago Police Headquarters at 3500 S. Michigan Ave.

The killing started when 29-year-old Felix Diaz was shot while sitting in a vehicle in the 4100 block of North Hamlin Avenue in the Irving Park community about 2:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Diaz, of the 3300 block of West Belle Plaine Avenue, died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center about two hours later, authorities said.

Additionally, 33-year-old Kristopher Claybon died Saturday after being shot while sitting in a vehicle parked outside his home in the 5700 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 4:45 p.m. Feb. 16, authorities said. Claybon's death was ruled a homicide.

In 2015, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 170 Chicago deaths a homicide, including one person fatally shot by police.

Prosecutors: Jealous knifeman slit Rudy Avina's throat in Pilsen bar

Michael Lansu — Sun, 31 May 2015 19:33:47 -0500

Ulises Almaraz / Photo from Chicago Police

BY SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times

A 29-year-old man slit a man’s throat in a Pilsen bar because he believed the man was talking to his girlfriend, prosecutors said.

Ulises Almaraz, 29, of Berwyn, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is also bipolar and stopped taking medication, according his attorney.

Almaraz was charged with one count of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Rodolfo “Rudy” Avina in Simone’s Bar early Saturday.

Almaraz and a woman went to the bar at 960 W. 18th St. about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. While at the bar, the woman talked to both Almaraz and Avina, who she also knew, Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Cooper said.

While the woman was standing at the bar, Avina was seated to her left. Almaraz was behind them, pacing, Cooper said. Almaraz walked up to the woman and she gave Avina a hug.

Almaraz then grabbed Avina, 45, from behind and slit his throat with a knife before tackling him to the ground, Cooper said. Avina was also stabbed in the chest.

When the woman pulled Almaraz off Avina, she saw Almaraz holding a bloody knife, which she gave to a security guard, Cooper said. The security guard detained Almaraz until police arrived.

Surveillance video captured the entire attack, Cooper said.

Almaraz told police that he stabbed Avina because “he was talking to the defendant’s girl,” Cooper said.

Almaraz was ordered held without bond Sunday.

He is scheduled to appear in court again Monday.

Ulises Almaraz charged with murder in Pilsen stabbing death of Rudy Avina

Michael Lansu — Sun, 31 May 2015 13:59:42 -0500

Ulises Almaraz / Photo from Chicago Police

BY SUN-TIMES STAFF

Ulises Almaraz has been charged with murder for the early Saturday stabbing death of Rodolfo “Rudy” Avina at a popular Pilsen bar, authorities said.

Avina, a father of three who married into the family that owns the famed Nuevo Leon restaurant on 18th Street, was sitting at the bar at Simone’s, a popular spot in the 900 block of West 18th Street, when Almaraz walked up behind him and slit his throat, a relative said authorities said.

Avina, who lived blocks way, was dead at the scene.

Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Rottner said Saturday night the attack “was unprovoked” and that Avina was “an innocent victim.”

Almaraz, 29, of Berwyn, was taken into custody after the stabbing and was charged with first-degree murder, police said. He is scheduled to appear in court Sunday for a bond hearing.

The violent death shocked the tight-knit community of Pilsen, where even the local mailman knew what had happened to a beloved community member. A framer by trade, the 43-year-old’s craftsmanship can be found throughout the National Museum of Mexican Art in the Near West Side neighborhood.

“Rudy was known because he had this great personality and a very kind and gentle soul,” said longtime friend Diana Solis, 59. “Rudy is going to leave a huge void in this community.”

“He was not somebody who wanted to get in trouble,” said longtime friend Cesario Moreno, the chief curator at the Mexican art museum. “He was a peace-loving father.”

Rudy Avina / Photo from ABC7 Chicago

Avina owned a framing business, Creativo Framing, in River North and worked with artists all around the city, Moreno said.

Avina had been friends with James Foley, the American journalist who was captured and killed by the Islamic State, Avina’s friends said. He helped organize a Pilsen mural for his slain friend, Solis said.

Avina was a vegetarian, loved to camp and was a musician who played the doumbek drum, friends said.

He was also the father of three teenagers — Mia, Carlos and Sofia, said Daniel Gutierrez Jr., whose family owns Nuevo Leon. Avina had been married to Gutierrez’s sister, but they had divorced.

Gutierrez Jr. said authorities told him surveillance video of the bar shows Avina having a beer or two at the bar and a “guy seems to be standing behind him for quite some time … and so he decided to slice his throat while he was sitting at the bar.”

An owner of Simone’s, Desiree Grant, said her staff is cooperating with the police.