Vernon Henry | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Four murdered in citywide violence

Michael Lansu — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 09:07:20 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Four people were murdered last week in citywide violence.

The youngest victim was a 20-month-old boy, while the oldest was a 69-year-old man. Two men have been charged with murder in those killings.

Two of the killings were shootings, one was a stabbing and the toddler died of child abuse.

The most recent murder happened when 72-year-old Roosevelt Shaffer fatally stabbed 69-year-old friend Raymond Robinson about 10 a.m. Friday in the Bethel Terrace Senior Living facility in the 900 block of West 63rd Street, authorities said.

Shaffer allegedly stabbed Robinson in with a boning knife after they argued about a jacket in the hallway outside Robinson’s room, according to court records.

Robinson died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered Shaffer held on $500,000 bond at a hearing Sunday.

On Thursday, officers responding to a call of shots fired found 30-year-old Andre Hughes dead in an alley about 9 p.m. in the 300 block of North Parkside Avenue in the Austin neighborhood, authorities said.

Hughes, of an unidentified home address, was shot multiple times and was dead at the scene, medical examiner’s office.

In the South Shore neighborhood, 26-year-old Vernon Henry allegedly beat his girlfriend's 20-month-old son Thursday morning in the 6900 block of South Cornell Avenue for being a "wuss," authorities said.

The boy, Adonta McCoy, died died Saturday at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office. He was diagnosed with severe brain injuries resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain, multiple abrasions and bleeding in the eyes.

Prosecutors said an irritated Henry again called the child a “crybaby,” then grabbed Adonta by the arms, lifted him off the floor and shook him violently. The little boy’s head snapped back and forth and his jaw snapped open and closed.

Prosecutors said Henry put his hand around Adonta’s throat and choked the boy, who gasped for air but still sobbed. Henry then allegedly shoved Adonta into a dresser.

Judge Bourgeois ordered Henry held without bond at a Sunday hearing.

The killings started last week when 14-year-old Venzel Richardson was fatally shot about 8:20 p.m. Wednesday while walking with others in the 6100 block of South Vernon Avenue in the Woodlawn community, authorities said.

A van drove up to the group and somebody inside opened fire, striking Venzel multiple times, authorities said. Nobody else in the group was injured.

Venzel, of the 6400 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue, was dead on the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

The Cook County medical examiner's office has ruled 36 Chicago deaths in 2014 homicides -- including one alleged robber fatally shot by a sheriff's lieutenant. Chicago Police, which counts murders different, has ruled at least three of those deaths involuntary manslaughter or justified self-defense.

UPDATE: Before killing toddler, Vernon Henry referred to boy as ‘crybaby,’ prosecutors said

Michael Lansu — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 20:01:51 -0600

Vernon Henry / Photo from Chicago Police

BY JON SEIDEL AND LEEANN SHELTON
Chicago Sun-Times

Vernon Henry thought his girlfriend’s son was a “wuss,” a prosecutor said Sunday.

The 26-year-old man from West Englewood called 20-month-old Adonta McCoy a “crybaby,” according to Assistant State’s Attorney Jacqueline Kwilos. She said Henry wanted to toughen the boy up.

And after Adonta’s mother left Henry in charge of her son Thursday morning at her home in the 6900 block of South Cornell Avenue, the boy began weeping again, Kwilos said.

What happened next led prosecutors this weekend to charge Henry with first-degree murder in Adonta’s death. Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois ordered him held without bail Sunday after Kwilos described a brutal — and allegedly fatal — beating that made onlookers in the courtroom cringe.

First, she said, an irritated Henry again called the child a “crybaby.”

Then she said Henry grabbed Adonta by the arms, lifted him off the floor and shook him violently.

Adonta kept crying, Kwilos said, so Henry kept shaking — even more violently than before.

The little boy’s head snapped back and forth, Kwilos said. His jaw snapped open and closed.

And he kept crying.

Kwilos said Henry put his hand around Adonta’s throat and choked the boy, who gasped for air but still sobbed. Henry shoved Adonta into a dresser, she said, and Adonta hit it face-first before falling to the floor.

At that point, Kwilos said, Adonta’s right eye was hurt. There was a bump on his forehead, he was lethargic and couldn’t keep his eyes open, according to the prosecutor.

So Henry put Adonta to bed.

He wiped bloody saliva from Adonta’s mouth and left him until Adonta’s mother came home, Kwilos said. When the boy’s mother arrived, Kwilos said Henry acted panicked but told her Adonta simply slipped and fell after a bath.

He said Adonta was OK.

But later that evening, Adonta’s mother heard Adonta breathing loudly and picked him up. Adonta wouldn’t wake up, Kwilos said, so she called 911.

Henry told Adonta’s mother they would claim Adonta fell after they gave him a bath and hit his head, the prosecutor said.

Adonta died Saturday at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was diagnosed with severe brain injuries resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain, multiple abrasions and bleeding in the eyes.

Henry eventually admitted shaking, choking and shoving the boy, Kwilos said. Now the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating Henry and Adonta’s mother for allegations of abuse, a spokeswoman said.

She said the agency has no previous reports regarding the family, and there are no other children in the home.

Vernon Henry charged with murder in death of burned baby

Michael Lansu — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 19:00:18 -0600

Vernon Henry / Photo from Chicago Police

Vernon Henry has been charged with the murder for the death of 20-month-old Adonta McCoy, who was burned Thursday in the South Shore neighborhood.

The baby suffered burns to the head, face and chest in the 6900 block of South Cornell Avenue about 7:45 p.m. Thursday, police said. The baby died Saturday morning.

Detectives believe Henry, 26, of the 6600 block of South Paulina Street, was responsible for the injuries and he was charged with first-degree murder, police said.

Police declined further comment about how the boy was injured.

McCoy, also of the 6900 block of South Cornell Avenue, boy was initially taken to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition, authorities said.

The state Department of Child & Family Services initially said it was investigating the boy’s mother for allegations of neglect, spokeswoman Veronica Resa said.

The agency has had no prior reports regarding the family, and there are no other children in the home, she said.

Henry is scheduled to appear in bond court Sunday.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire