Alex Anderson | Homicide Watch Chicago

Man out on bond for the 2014 murder of Alex Anderson now also accused of killing Anthony Heatherly in April

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:24:56 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago SUn-Times

Tramian Barnes | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

According to Cook County prosecutors, an Oak Park man already facing charges for the drug-related fatal shooting of Alex Anderson in 2014 was also involved in the murder of Anthony Heatherly while out on bond.

Tramian Barnes shot the 19-year-old Anderson in the stomach after the two had planned to meet for a narcotics transaction in 2014, authorities said.

Barnes’ latest victim, the 17-year-old Heatherly, thought he was going to sell Barnes and his cohort, Kenyatta Alexander, marijuana when he was killed April 4.

Barnes, 21, was awaiting trial for Anderson’s murder when he shot and ran over Heatherly in the parking lot of Taco Burrito King in the 5500 block of North Harlem, Assistant State’s Attorney Liam Reardon said.

Barnes was out of Cook County Jail after posting 10 percent of a $1 million bond Judge Donald Panarese Jr. gave him two years ago, Reardon said.

Anthony Heatherly | Facebook

That spring afternoon, Barnes and Alexander got into Heatherly’s black Hyundai while Barnes’ girlfriend pulled up next to them in her Nissan, Reardon said.

Once inside the Hyundai, Alexander allegedly fired into Heatherly’s chest. Barnes and Alexander then pushed Heatherly out of his car and Barnes got into the driver’s seat and drove off, following his girlfriend in the other car, Reardon said.

When Barnes drove away, Heatherly was dragged several feet and run over by his own car, Reardon said.

Surveillance cameras captured the incident, and a witness identified Barnes and Alexander as the pair who got into Heatherly’s Hyundai, Reardon said.

After leaving the parking lot, Barnes, Alexander and Barnes’ girlfriend stopped a few blocks away, where the girlfriend had parked another car, Reardon said.

Barnes told the woman to go home and wait for them to call, Reardon said.

The pair ended up calling from Maywood, where the girlfriend drove and picked them up in an alley, Reardon said.

Heatherly’s black Hyundai was in the alley, Reardon said.

Barnes and Alexander got into Barnes’ girlfriend’s car and were taken to a friend’s apartment in Melrose Park, Reardon said.

But Barnes and Alexander allegedly told others what they had done. And Alexander made admissions when he was arrested earlier this week, Reardon said.

Cellphone records also show that Barnes and his girlfriend were at key locations tied to Heatherly’s murder, Reardon said. And a witness said he saw Alexander, 39, with the gun before the shooting.

Police have since recovered the license plate Barnes’ girlfriend had on her Nissan, Reardon said.

Alex Anderson | Facebook

Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Barnes held without bond Wednesday on new charges of murder, armed robbery and vehicular hijacking.

Alexander was not in court because he was hospitalized after drinking bleach, a police officer told the judge.

When Anderson was shot, police said he told officers, “Tre shot me,”

Barnes, then living in Joliet, fled to Georgia before being arrested for Anderson’s murder.

PHOTO ESSAY: Winter memorials mark the deaths of Chicago murder victims

Chase DiFeliciantonio — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:30:44 -0500

BY CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO
Homicide Watch Chicago

A balloon sways in the wind. An empty liquor bottle rests on the pavement. Flowers wilt in the January snow. These are the memorials for some of Chicago's murder victims.

The memorials are temporary places where grieving family and friends can share words and photos to celebrate the victim's life.

Some memorials are erected at the scene of a crime, while others are built outside the victim's home, but all are reminders of lives taken by violence.

Alex Anderson

Tramian Barnes allegedly fatally shot 19-year-old Alex Anderson in January in the Portage Park neighborhood. After being shot, Anderson stumbled home and said, “Tre Shot me.” Anderson died the next day and became the 15th homicide victim of 2014.

Photo from Alex Anderson memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

A memorial for Anderson featuring candles and liquor bottles was created near a snowy sidewalk outside his home.

Photos from Alex Anderson memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Ronald Hayes

Ronald Hayes, 17, was fatally shot in February while shoveling snow by his Near West Side home, family said. His mother, Cathy Booker, wore her son's Banner West Academy school ID around her neck as she recalled his love for basketball and his teenage appetite for tacos and Italian beef.

Booker shows Hayes' school ID / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Hayes’ memorial was created where he was gunned down and featured stuffed animals and flowers struggling to survive in the February snow. A single blue balloon swayed silhouetted against the sky -- an exclamation point marking the city’s 31st homicide of 2014.

Photos from Ronald memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Javan Boyd

Javan Boyd, 28, was working his night job as a livery driver when at least two gunmen fatally shot him just blocks from U.S. Cellular Field in February. His aunt, Trina Boyd, said he was a hard working man who loved to play basketball and spend time with his 11-year-old daughter.

The memorials often look colorful from a distance, but up close nicknames and expressions of love are written in black ink on a blank white board.

Photos from Javan Boyd memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Eric Woods

Alexander Scott allegedly fatally shot 25-year-old Eric Woods at his West Garfield Park home in late February during a domestic dispute.

Eric Woods / Family Photo

Mourners stood in front of the home and wrote “forever you live thru” and “you live through us” on a message board posted outside. A trail of blood spattered the stairs and sidewalk in front of the home and red roses had been scattered across the scene.

Photos from Eric Woods memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

UPDATE: Tramian Barnes held on $1M bond for alleged Portage Park murder of Alex Anderson

Michael Lansu — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 00:39:44 -0600

Tramian Barnes / Photo from Chicago Police

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A Joliet teenager was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bond Wednesday for allegedly shooting another man to death last month in the Portage Park neighborhood.

Alex Anderson knew his killer and told police, witnesses and his girlfriend that Tramian Barnes shot him twice while he was sitting in Barnes’ car on Jan. 20, Cook County prosecutors said.

“Tre shot me,” Anderson allegedly said.

Moments before, a friend saw 19-year-old Anderson go into an alley in the 4300 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.

When Anderson didn’t return, the friend texted him, but he didn’t answer.

Minutes later, Anderson turned up at his home in the 5000 block of West Cullom Avenue holding his bleeding abdomen, prosecutors said.

A witness gave Anderson a towel, which he pressed against his chest.

Alex Anderson / Memorial Photo

Anderson, worried he was going to die, started panicking and told the authorities and his friends that Barnes had shot him, prosecutors said.

Anderson later died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. He suffered gunshot wounds to his abdomen and arm.

Prosecutors said police recovered a .22 and .32 caliber gun from 18-year-old Barnes’ residence. Those weapons are still being processed.

Barnes’ cell phone records show that he was in the vicinity of Milwaukee and Cullom avenues when Anderson was shot, prosecutors said.

Barnes, who was recently in Georgia where he had family, was recently brought to Chicago to face murder charges.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six males shot to death throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 09:24:15 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Six males were killed last week in shootings throughout the city, the youngest being a 15-year-old boy.

The two most recent killings happened in the Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

About 4:50 p.m. Sunday, 15-year-old Miguel Naverrette was shot dead while sitting inside a parked vehicle in the 4100 block of West 30th Street, authorities said.

The gunman approached in a dark SUV, yelled gang slogans and opened fire on the vehicle -- striking Naverrette in the side and abdomen area, authorities said.

Naverette, of the 2800 block of South Karlov Avenue, was shot in the side and abdomen area and died at the scene, authorities said. Police claim the teen had gang affiliations.

On Saturday, Jose Nunez was shot on a sidewalk in the 3800 block of West 26th Street about 2:55 a.m., authorities said.

Nunez, 23, of the 1800 block of North Leavitt Street, was shot in the chin, authorities said.

In the New City community, Elsaleem Mannie-El was killed in a shooting at Rudy's Lounge in the 5100 block of South Union Avenue at 12:52 a.m. Saturday, authorities said. Two other men and two women were also wounded.

The shooting happened after an argument between party-goers and two uninvited men, authorities said. The uninvited men were being escorted to the exit by security when shots were fired near the doorway.

Mannie-El, 35, of the 8100 block of South Drexel Avenue, was shot in the head and died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, authorities said.

On Wednesday, Edward Caridine's roommate found him beaten to death in their home in the 7000 block of South Claremont Avenue about 9:45 a.m., authorities said.

In Englewood, police found Jonathan Johnson shot in the hallway of his apartment building in the 6900 block of South Racine Avenue about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Johnson, 21, was shot in the abdomen area and died at the scene, authorities said.

The killings started when 19-year-old Alex Anderson was fatally shot in the 4300 block of North Milwaukee Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Monday in the Portage Park neighborhood, authorities said.

Anderson was riding in a vehicle with an acquaintance who shot him in the left arm and abdomen area, authorities said. He got out of the vehicle and walked to his nearby home in the 5000 block of West Cullom Avenue. He died about six hours later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Nobody has been charged in any of the killings.

The shootings bring the total number of 2014 homicides to 20. There were 41 killings in January 2013.

Alex Anderson shot to death in Portage Park

Michael Lansu — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 08:55:40 -0600

Video By Chase DiFeliciantonio

Alex Anderson was shot to death Monday night by an acquaintance in the Portage Park neighborhood.

Anderson, 19, was riding in a vehicle with an acquaintance who shot him in the 4300 block of North Milwaukee Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Monday, said authorities.

Anderson suffered gunshot wounds to the left arm and abdomen, authorities said. After being shot, he got out of the vehicle and walked to his home in the 5000 block of West Cullom Avenue.

Emergency crews responded to his home and took him to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died at 4:42 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

As news of Anderson's death broke, friends and acquaintances took to social media to express their grief and condolences:

The last time I spoke to him was years ago but he's still a human being and he still left loved ones behind. RIP Alex Anderson.

— Irene (@Irenefurrnandez) January 21, 2014

RIP Alex Anderson

— Robby D (@RobbyTLM) January 21, 2014

Nobody has been charged in the killing.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire