Andre Hughes | Homicide Watch Chicago

Comment of the Day: "WELL MY FRIEND IS GONE BUT DRE WILL NEVER BE FORGOT AT ALL"

Will Hager — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 15:48:31 -0600

Andre Hughes was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds Feb. 13 in the Austin neighborhood. Commenter "VELL" posted this about him:

WELL MY FRIEND IS GONE BUT DRE WILL NEVER BE FORGOT AT ALL ...........

Prosecutors: James Dixon, Jemal Ross beat Andre Hughes then shot him four times in Austin

Michael Lansu — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 17:08:51 -0600

James Dixon / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Two men have been charged with murder for allegedly beating a man bloody then dragging his body to an alley and shooting him four times for disrespecting their gang last week week in the Austin neighborhood.

Jemal Ross allegedly got into an argument with Andre Hughes over gang affiliations at a liquor store, prosecutors said.

After the argument, Ross then went to an apartment building in the 300 block of North Central Avenue and told James Dixon that Hughes disrespected their gang, prosecutors said.

Multiple witnesses then saw Ross and Dixon attack Hughes about 9 p.m. Feb. 13 as he drank beer and visited with friends in the same apartment building, prosecutors said.

The two men trapped Hughes on a stairwell and Dixon asked Hughes if he had a gun, prosecutors said. Hughes just smiled and drank his beer.

Ross reminded Dixon that Hughes allegedly disrespected their gang, and Dixon punched Hughes, prosecutors said. Hughes fell down the stairs and hit his head on the wall.

Ross then approached a bleeding Hughes and kicked him in the head repeatedly until he was unresponsive, prosecutors said. Ross and Dixon then dragged Ross outside and shot him four times.

Police found Hughes, 30, in an alley in the 300 block of North Parkside Avenue, authorities said.

Hughes, of an unidentified home address, was dead on the scene. An autopsy conducted Friday found Hughes died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

Witnesses in the apartment building saw Dixon and Ross beat Hughes and drag his bleeding body out of the building, prosecutors said. A witness then heard a man moaning in the back of the building and heard four gunshots.

A few minutes after the shooting, Dixon came back inside the building and borrowed a mop, prosecutors said. Dixon allegedly mopped up the trail of blood.

Surveillance video shows both Dixon and Ross entering the building before the shooting, prosecutors said. Ross later admitted to the beating and implicated himself and Dixon in the shooting.

Jemal Ross / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

Dixon, 18, of the 100 block of North Parkside Avenue, and Ross, 24, of the 6500 block of South Maplewood Avenue, were each charged with first-degree murder, according to court records.

On Tuesday, Judge Laura Sullivan ordered Dixon held on $1 million bond and Ross held on $900,000 bond.

Dixon is out on bond for a pending possession of a controlled substance charge, according to court records. Ross was sentenced to two years probation for a 2008 possession of a controlled substance case, prosecutors said.

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.

Andre Hughes shot dead in Austin alley

Michael Lansu — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 13:01:28 -0600

Andre Hughes was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Thursday night in the Austin neighborhood.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired found Hughes, 30, dead in an alley in the 300 block of North Parkside Avenue about 9 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Hughes, of an unidentified home address, was dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy conducted Friday found Hughes died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire