Willie Wheeler | Homicide Watch Chicagohttp://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/willie-wheeler/Latest news about Willie Wheeleren-usFri, 11 Sep 2015 16:51:09 -0500No bond for second suspect charged with murder of Dwayne Thomas during argument in Greater Grand Crossinghttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/09/11/no-bond-for-second-suspect-charged-with-murder-of-dwayne-thomas-during-argument-in-greater-grand-crossing/<p>By JEFF MAYES<br /> Chicago Sun-Times Wire<br /> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/wheeler091115-240x300.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/wheeler091115-240x300-240x300.jpg" alt="Willie Wheeler | Chicago Police" width="240" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-13368" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Willie Wheeler | Chicago Police</p><br /> On Aug. 19, in broad daylight, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/willie-wheeler/">Willie Wheeler</a> shot <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/dwayne-l-thomas/">Dwayne L. Thomas</a> twice in the face as the two argued in front of several witnesses outside a building in the South Side Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, according to prosecutors.</p> <p>But while an accomplice was taken into custody the next day, Wheeler remained on the lam until Wednesday night, when he led police on a chase through the South Side before being captured.</p> <p>On Friday, a Judge Ada Bourgeois ordered the 21-year-old Wheeler held without bond.</p> <p>Prosecutors say that about 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 19, Wheeler and <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/devonte-watson/">Devonte Watson</a> saw the victim on a porch in the 4700 block of South Harvard with two friends, and Wheeler and Thomas got into a verbal argument as other witnesses watched from inside.<br /> <span id="more-13385"></span></p> <p>Wheeler then pulled a gun and, from point-blank range, shot Thomas twice, once in the chin and once in the cheek, prosecutors said. Thomas’ friends turned to run, and Watson tried to fire a gun at them, but it jammed.<br /> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/watson091115-copy.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/watson091115-copy-233x300.jpg" alt="Devonte Watson | Chicago Police" width="233" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-13369" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Devonte Watson | Chicago Police</p><br /> Thomas, 20, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn less than an hour later, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.</p> <p>Watson, of the 4700 block of South Normal, was arrested the day after the shooting. He was charged with murder and is being held on a $1 million bond, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.</p> <p>About 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers spotted Wheeler in a vehicle at a gas station near 76th and State, according to prosecutors.</p> <p>As officers approached, he sped away and a man in the back of the vehicle pointed a weapon at the officers, prosecutors said. One of the officers fired toward the vehicle, but no one was hit.</p> <p>Wheeler’s vehicle ran through several stops before it crashed into a pole and another vehicle in the 9500 block of South Halsted, where both men got out of the car and ran, prosecutors said. Wheeler was found by a canine unit hiding in a garage about an hour later, prosecutors said. Officers recovered a weapon from the vehicle, according to police.</p> <p>Wheeler, of the 7800 block of South Avalon, is charged with murder and resisting an officer. He has previous convictions for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2011, possession of a stolen vehicle in 2011, and reckless conduct in 2015.</p> Jeff MayesFri, 11 Sep 2015 16:51:09 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/09/11/no-bond-for-second-suspect-charged-with-murder-of-dwayne-thomas-during-argument-in-greater-grand-crossing/Devonte WatsonWillie WheelerAfter police chase, second man is charged with murder of Dwayne Thomas in Greater Grand Crossinghttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/09/11/after-police-chase-second-man-is-charged-with-murder-of-dwayne-thomas-in-greater-grand-crossing/<p>The second man wanted for the murder of <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/dwayne-l-thomas/">Dwayne L. Thomas</a> last month in Greater Grand Crossing led police on a chase through the South Side before being captured Wednesday night.<br /> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/wheeler091115-240x300.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/wheeler091115-240x300-240x300.jpg" alt="Willie Wheeler | Chicago Police" width="240" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-13368" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Willie Wheeler | Chicago Police</p><br /> About 9:30 p.m., officers spotted 21-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/willie-wheeler/">Willie Wheeler</a> in the 7600 block of South State Street, according to Chicago Police. As officers approached, he pointed a weapon at them and one of the officers fired, but didn’t hit him, police said.</p> <p>Wheeler got into a vehicle and drove away before his vehicle crashed in the 9500 block of South Halsted, where he was arrested, police said. Officers recovered a weapon from the vehicle, police said.</p> <p>Wheeler was wanted for the Aug. 19 murder of the 20-year-old Thomas near the victim’s home in the 7400 block of South Harvard, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.<br /> <span id="more-13367"></span></p> <p><a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/watson091115-copy.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/09/watson091115-copy-233x300.jpg" alt="Devonte Watson | Chicago Police" width="233" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-13369" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Devonte Watson | Chicago Police</p><br /> Devonte Watson also faces first-degree murder charges for the attack that happened about 1:20 p.m. at Thomas stood on the front porch of a home. Police said someone walked up and shot him in the neck, and he died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn less than an hour later.</p> <p><a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/devonte-watson/">Devonte Watson</a>, of the 4700 block of South Normal, was arrested the day after the shooting and is being held on a $1 million bond, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.</p> <p>Wheeler, of the 7800 block of South Avalon, is charged with first-degree murder and resisting an officer. He was scheduled to appear in bond court Friday.</p> <p><em>—Chicago Sun-Times Wire</em></p> Jeff MayesFri, 11 Sep 2015 11:49:07 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/09/11/after-police-chase-second-man-is-charged-with-murder-of-dwayne-thomas-in-greater-grand-crossing/Devonte WatsonWillie Wheeler