Allen R. Levin | Homicide Watch Chicago

Third man charged with murder for January home invasion that left 71-year-old Allen Levin dead in Albany Park

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 11:15:14 -0500

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Ioan Lela Jr. | Chicago Police

A third Arizona man has been charged with beating 71-year-old Allen R. Levin to death during a home invasion in the Northwest Side Albany Park neighborhood in January.

Ioan Lela Jr., 34, of Phoenix, Arizona, faces one count of first-degree murder, according to Chicago Police. He was arrested Feb. 18 in Phoenix and extradited to Chicago on Sunday.

Elijah Timatyos, 23; and Michael Bembea, 24, were previously charged with first-degree murder, home invasion causing great bodily harm and burglary, authorities said.

Levin was a family friend of Bembea and had provided financial assistance to Bembea’s family in the past, prosecutors said. In the days before the murder, Bembea and Lela discussed robbing Levin because of their own money problems.

Elijah Timatyos (left) and Michael Bembea | Cook County sheriff's office

Bembea and Lela drove a white Honda Civic from Phoenix, where they were living, to Chicago, prosecutors said. During the trip, the Civic was stopped by police in Wheeler County, Texas, for a traffic violation, prosecutors said. The stop was recorded on surveillance video.

When they arrived in Chicago, Bembea and Lela stayed with a friend and once again discussed robbing Levin. Between Jan. 24 and Jan. 25, Bembea, Timatyos and Lela drove to Levin’s home in the 4800 block of North Ridgeway. Surveillance video caught the Civic circling the block, prosecutors said.

Bembea forced open the rear door of Levin’s home and pushed the victim down the stairs before letting Timatyos and Lela inside, prosecutors said. They heard Levin fall down the stairs and heard him ask why Bembea was doing this to him.

One of the men then covered Levin’s mouth and tried to suffocate him, prosecutors said. Bembea stomped on Levin’s back, severing his spine, and another man kicked him in the head.

After the attack, they tried to clean up the blood and their fingerprints, and wrapped Levin’s body in a blanket, prosecutors said.

They went through the house, taking coins, cash and jewelry, prosecutors said. They left and rented a room at a motel on Lincoln Avenue, then bought cannabis and cocaine before driving back to Phoenix the next day.

About 2 p.m. Jan. 27, police conducted a well-being check at Levin’s home and found him lying on the dining room floor, wrapped in the blanket, prosecutors said. He had a large footprint on his back.

An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries suffered in the assault and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Lela was ordered held without bond in court Monday. He is next scheduled to appear in court April 4.

Bembea and Tamtyos were arrested in Phoenix on Feb. 4, authorities said. Both are being held without bond at the Cook County Jail. Bembea is next scheduled to appear in court March 28, and Timatyos is scheduled to appear March 29.

Prosecutors: Allen Levin knew the man who beat him to death and had financially aided the man's family

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 13:36:09 -0600

Elijah Timatyos (left) and Michael Bembea | Cook County sheriff's office

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Two north suburban men were arrested last month in Arizona and have been charged with beating 71-year-old Allen R. Levin to death in order to rob him in his Albany Park neighborhood home.

Elijah Timatyos, 23; and Michael Bembea, 24, both face charges of of first-degree murder, home invasion causing great bodily harm and burglary in connection with the death of Levin, according to Chicago Police. A third suspect has not yet been charged.

Levin was a family friend of Bembea and had provided financial assistance to Bembea’s family in the past, prosecutors said in court Monday. In the days before the murder, Bembea and another person discussed robbing Levin because of their own money problems.

Bembea and the other person drove a white Honda Civic from Phoenix, where they were living, to Chicago, prosecutors said. During the trip, the Civic was stopped by police in Wheeler County, Texas, for a traffic violation, prosecutors said. The stop was recorded on surveillance video.

When they arrived in Chicago, Bembea and the other person stayed with a friend, and once again discussed robbing Levin. Between Jan. 24 and Jan. 25, Bembea, Timatyos and the third person drove to Levin’s home in the 4800 block of North Ridgeway. Surveillance video caught the Civic circling the block, prosecutors said.

Bembea forced open the rear door of Levin’s home and pushed the victim down the stairs before letting Timatyos and the other person inside, prosecutors said. They heard Levin fall down the stairs and heard him ask why Bembea was doing this to him.

The third person then covered Levin’s mouth and tried to suffocate him, prosecutors said. Bembea stomped on Levin’s back, severing his spine, and the other person kicked him in the head.

After the attack, they tried to clean up the blood and their fingerprints and wrapped Levin’s body in a blanket, prosecutors said.

An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries suffered in the assault and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Bembea and Tamtyos were arrested in Phoenix on Feb. 4, and made “incriminating statements” about their involvement in the murder, prosecutors said. Bembea admitted breaking into Levin’s home, stomping on his back and beating him.

Both Bembea and Timatyos were ordered held without bond in court Monday. Timatyos is next scheduled to appear in court March 15. Bembea is scheduled for a hearing March 11. The third person has not been charged.

Pair arrested in Arizona and charged with fatal beating of 71-year-old Allen Levin in his Albany Park home

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 09:17:33 -0600

Elijah Timatyos (left) and Michael Bembea | Cook County sheriff's office

By ASHLEE REZIN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Two north suburban men arrested last month in Arizona have been charged with the January beating death of 71-year-old Allen R. Levin in his Albany Park neighborhood home in January.

Elijah Timatyos, 23; and Michael Bembea, 24, both face charges of of first-degree murder, home invasion causing great bodily harm, and burglary in connection with the Jan. 27 incident, according to Chicago Police.

Timatyos and Bembea, both originally from Lincolnwood, were arrested Feb. 20 in Phoenix, Arizona, police said.

About 2 p.m. Jan. 27, officers conducting a well-being check at a home in the 4800 block of North Ridgeway found Levin lying on the ground with visible signs of trauma to the head, neck and body, authorities said at the time.

Levin, who lived in the home, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries suffered in an assault and his death was ruled a homicide.

On Monday, Timatyos and Bembea were ordered held without bond, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. Timatyos is next scheduled to appear in court March 15, while Bembea is scheduled for a hearing March 11.

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 21 people die from violence in Chicago as shooting numbers continue to spike

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:00:16 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least 21 people died from violence last week in Chicago, as shooting and murder totals continue to soar in the new year. One of the fatal shootings may be ruled self-defense after a man was killed while allegedly breaking into a home and attacking a woman. ANother man was also shot, this time by Chicago Police, while allegedly committing a home invasion, leading to murder charges against an accomplice..

January ended with a marked spike in Chicago gun violence compared to a year ago, with more than double the number of shootings and a 75 percent uptick in murders, according to statistics released by Chicago Police on Monday.

The city logged 292 gunshot victims in 242 separate shooting incidents from Jan. 1-31, police said. That’s an increase from 136 victims in 119 shootings during the same period last year.

Police also reported 51 murders so far this year, a jump from 29 last January. Detectives have solved 14 murders, including eight from 2016 and six from prior years, police said.

One of this week's murders may have been justified, according to police. A woman fatally shot a man who broke into her home and beat her early Sunday in Woodlawn.

About 5:15 a.m., Reginald Brown broke into the home in the 400 block of East 62nd Street and began to beat the woman who lived there, according to police. The 28-year-old woman was able to grab a handgun and shot the man to death during the struggle.

Brown, 30, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:35 a.m. An autopsy showed he died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Police said the woman knew the man and the incident was domestic-related. The woman has a valid FOID card and no charges were expected to be filed in the shooting.

A man and teenage boy were found with gunshot wounds in a vehicle that had crashed early Sunday in the Irving Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side. The vehicle was northbound in the 3700 block of North California about 5:15 a.m. when it struck a planter, according to police.

The driver, identified as 21-year-old Alan Garcia; and a 16-year-old passenger identified as Roberto Sanchez, were both taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where they later died. Both had suffered gunshot wounds in addition to injuries caused by the crash.

Garcia, of National City, California, died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy. Sanchez, of the 2900 block of North Elston, died of blunt force injuries to the torso from the crash, with multiple gunshot wounds listed as a contributing factor.

A 34-year-old man was fatally shot late Saturday in the West Side Humboldt Park neighborhood. Floyd Hodges was walking on the sidewalk about 10:45 p.m. in the 1100 block of North Springfield when two people approached him, according to police and the medical examiner's office. One person took out a gun and shot him multiple times before the suspects ran away.

Hodges was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced died. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

DeMorrow Stephens was found shot to death in the West Garfield Park neighborhood early Saturday. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 2:55 a.m. in the 0–100 block of North Kilbourn found the 26-year-old lying on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds, according to police.

Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:12 a.m., according to the medical examiner's office. He lived in the 900 block of North Waller. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

A 19-year-old man was shot to death in West Englewood early Saturday, police said.

Officers found Damon Allen Jr. lying on the ground in the 5900 block of South Bishop about 1:05 a.m. He was shot in the head and chest.

Allen, who lived in the 1400 block of North Central, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

Martice White was killed in a shooting in the Austin neighborhood Friday evening. The 20-year-old was standing outside in the 5100 block of West Division at 6:21 p.m. when someone walked up behind him and opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner's office. The shooter then ran away.

White suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.

A 61-year-old man died Thursday after he was assaulted in an elevator in the Rogers Park neighborhood about a week earlier.

At 11:45 p.m. Jan. 23, Algie Ferguson was arguing with 45-year-old Phalyon McFarthing in an elevator in the 6800 block of North Sheridan Road when McFarthing hit, kicked and sodomized Ferguson, according to the medical examiner’s office and police.

Ferguson, of the 6800 block of North Sheridan Road, was taken to Presence Saint Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:43 p.m. Thursday, authorities said. An autopsy found he died from complications from multiple injuries sustained during an assault, and his death was ruled a homicide.

McFarthing, of the 1500 block of West Pratt Boulevard, was charged Jan. 25 with aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm, attempted murder in the first degree and criminal sexual assault, all felonies, police said. He is being held without bond.

Illinois Institute of Technology student Jermiron “Jay” Morris was beaten to death by another student on the school’s Bronzeville campus early Thursday, police said and the school said.

Morris, 36, and the another student were returning to campus early Thursday when they got into a fight, according to police and a statement on IIT’s website. Morris was found lying on the ground with blood and trauma to his face at 5 a.m. in the 3000 block of South Wabash, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The other student,43-year-old man, Carlos Wilson, faces first-degree murder charges for the attack and was ordered held without bond.

A 71-year-old man was found beaten to death Wednesday afternoon in his Albany Park neighborhood home. Officers conducting a well-being check about 2 p.m. at a home in the 4800 block of North Ridgeway found Allen R. Levin lying on the ground with visible signs of trauma to the head, neck and body, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Levin, who lived in the home, was dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries suffered in an assault.

Robert Howard was found shot to death Tuesday evening in the University Village neighborhood. The 62-year-old was found about 6:40 p.m. in the 1000 block of West Maxwell with a gunshot wound to the head, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Police said the shooting might have been related to an earlier dispute he had with a neighbor, and two days later, Charneise Silas, 45, was charged with one felony count of aggravated battery for the attack, according to police. She was ordered held on a $250,000 bond.

A 33-year-old man was killed in a drive-by shooting Tuesday afternoon in Austin. Cory D. Brown was outside in the 0-100 block of South Leamington about 4 p.m. when a vehicle drove by and someone inside fired at him, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Brown, of the 5000 block of West Washington, was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the chest, and his death was ruled a homicide.

A 76-year-old man was found shot to death Tuesday afternoon in the Riverdale neighborhood on the Far South Side. Officers conducted a well-being check in the 13200 block of South Riverdale about noon and discovered Claude Cannon with gunshot wounds to his chest and buttocks, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:22 p.m., authorities said. Cannon lived in the same block as the shooting.

Senclair Hill was shot to death Monday night in the Washington Heights neighborhood on the Far South Side.

Officers responded to a call of a car crash and shots fired in the 10600 block of South Sangamon Street about 8:22 p.m. They found the 25-year-old with a gunshot wound to the back in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that had crashed into a parked car, police said.

Hill was taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner's office. He lived in the 10700 block of South Church.

Nineteen-year David Martinez was killed and a 16-year-old boy wounded in a shooting Monday evening in Little Village. The two were in the 3000 block of South Kedvale Avenue at 5:01 p.m. when someone walked up, pulled a gun and fired shots, police said.

Martinez was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:14 p.m., according to the medical examiner's office. He lived in the 2700 block of South Komensky. The 16-year-old was shot in the back and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

A man was fatally shot in the Pullman neighborhood on the Far South Side Monday.Torrance Dortch, 39, was shot in the 1000 block of East 100th Place at 4:37 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

Dortch, of the 1000 block of East 100th Place, suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 5:56 p.m.

A 19-year-old man was shot and killed Monday morning in Englewood. Davon Horace was found unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds in the 7200 block of South May at 11:24 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Horace, of the 6700 block of South Throop, was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:13 p.m.

One man was killed and another wounded Monday morning in a shooting along a CPS Safe Passage Route in West Englewood.

Trevon Stiger, 20; and an 18-year-old man were walking in the 2000 block of West Marquette at 9:18 a.m. when a gunman walked up and fired shots, then ran away, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Stiger, of the 2100 block of West 68th Place, was shot in the abdomen and pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The 18-year-old was shot in the face and was taken in serious condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

The shooting happened along Harper High School’s Safe Passage Route.

A 64-year-old man died Wednesday, five months after he was assaulted in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. Lester Weatherspoon died at 5:05 a.m. at RML Specialty Hospital in Hinsdale, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Weatherspoon was beaten up about 4 p.m. Aug. 30, 2015, in the 2700 block of West Harrison, according to police. An autopsy Thursday found he died of complications of blunt force injuries to the head suffered in that assault, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide.

Also on Tuesday, Ricardo Villanueva died in a suburban care facility, more than four years after being shot in Chicago Lawn.

When he was 31, Villanueva was shot in the 6000 block of South Francisco on Dec. 10, 2011, according to the medical examiner’s office and police. He suffered gunshot wounds to the neck, elbow and leg; and was initially taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment, police said.

Tuesday, at age 35, Villanueva died of injuries from that shooting in the Brentwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Burbank, according to the medical examiner's office.
Breanna Patterson has been charged with murder after Charles Smith was shot by police during an alleged home invasion early Sunday in the former home of Bulls star Derrick Rose in West Englewood.

Patterson, 20, was charged with first-degree murder and home invasion with discharge of a firearm, according to police. Patterson and Clark allegedly broke into a home in the 7300 block of South Paulina about 4:40 a.m., authorities said.

Englewood District officers responded to calls of a home invasion and were met by an “armed offender” who opened fire, and cops shot back, police said.

The 29-year-old Smith was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:40 a.m.

71-year-old Allen Levin found beaten to death in his Albany Park home

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 15:39:13 -0600

Seventy-one-year-old Allen R. Levin was found beaten to death Wednesday afternoon in his Albany Park neighborhood home on the Northwest Side.

Officers conducting a well-being check about 2 p.m. at the home in the 4800 block of North Ridgeway found Levin lying on the ground with visible signs of trauma to the head, neck and body, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Levin, who lived in the home, was dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy found he died of multiple injuries suffered in an assault, and ruled his death a homicide.

As of Friday afternoon, no one was in custody and police were continuing to investigate.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire