WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 09:02:30 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Six men were fatally shot, one man was stabbed to death and a baby had her neck slashed with a saw in slayings throughout Chicago last week.

Four of the slayings happened over the weekend, when at least 24 other people were shot and wounded.

The most recent killings happened when 23-year-old Andre Chatman and 28-year-old Carey Hollis were shot while in a car in the 5800 block of West North Avenue in the Austin community about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, police said.

After the shooting, the wounded driver continued east and crashed about a block away, police said.

Chatham and Hollis, who both lived in the 1000 block of North Mayfield Avenue, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Portage Park neighborhood, 16-year-old Giovanni Matos was shot in the head in the 5800 block of West Patterson Avenue during an argument with a group in a passing vehicle about 12:50 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Matos, of the 5500 block of West Henderson Street, died hours later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center hours later, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the Albany Park neighborhood, 19-year-old Talal Aljohani was found stabbed to death in his apartment in the 5000 block of North Harding Avenue about 4 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. Police called the attack domestic related.

On Monday, police found 26-year-old Larry Hardin Jr. shot on a sidewalk in the 9200 block of South Ada Street in the Washington Heights community about 7:35 p.m., authorities said.

Hardwin, of the 1400 block of East 90th Street, was shot in the head and died at the scene, authorities said.

In the Roseland community, 77-year-old Odell Branch was fatally shot in the 200 block of West 105th Street about 6:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Branch was watching TV with his 5-year-old great-grandson when bullets came through a window, authorities said.

Branch was shot in the head and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said. The 5-year-old was shot in the arm and also taken to Christ Medical Center, police said.

Branch’s granddaughter and 2-year-old great-granddaughter were also wounded as they attempted to enter a vehicle when the gunfire erupted, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the killing, but on Sunday police released surveillance video of the potential suspects.

In the Uptown neighborhood, 20-year-old Troy Phelon was shot in the chest in the 900 block of West Agatite Avenue about 2:55 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Phelon, of the 300 block of South Kedzie Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killing started when 52-year-old Manuela Rodriguez killed her 7-month-old granddaughter, Rose Herrera, in the 2800 block of South Avers Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood about 9:30 a.m. Monday, prosecutors said.

Rodriguez allegedly stuffed a sock deep down her 7-month-old granddaughter’s throat, bashed the infant’s head with a metal pipe wrench and used a motorized circular saw to slash the baby’s neck, chest and shoulder, prosecutors said.

Rodriguez, who cut her own throat, allegedly admitted to paramedics and detectives that she viciously attacked Rose Herrera because she wanted her to stop crying while she babysat, prosecutors said. She was charged with first-degree murder and was ordered held without bond.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 60 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

Andre Chatman, Carey Hollis killed in Austin shooting

Michael Lansu — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:40:34 -0500

Two men were killed in a drive-by shooting in the Austin neighborhood Sunday afternoon.

Andre Chatman, 23, and Carey Hollis, 28, were in a car traveling east in the 5800 block of West North Avenue when another vehicle pulled alongside and a gunman opened fire about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Both men were struck by the gunfire, but the car was able to continue eastbound another block before crashing into a pole, police said.

Chatman and Hollis, who both lived in the 1000 block of North Mayfield Avenue, both died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Autopsies determined that Chatman died of multiple gunshot wounds and Hollis died of a gunshot wound to the back, according to the medical examiner's office, which ruled both deaths homicides.

Nobody has been charged for the killings.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire, Network Video Productions

Andre Chatman | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight killed throughout Chicago

Andre Chatman, Carey Hollis killed in Austin shooting