Angelica Escamilla | Homicide Watch Chicago

Pair pleads guilty to role in fatal stabbing of Angelica Escamilla during 2015 brawl in Lincoln Square

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:47:50 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN and JACOB WITTICH
Chicago Sun-Times

Raymond Boyle (left) and Dalton Stropes | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

Two men pleaded guilty Monday and were sentenced to eight years in prison for their roles in a 2015 stabbing that left 20-year-old Angelica Escamilla dead after a brawl in Lincoln Square.

Raymond Boyle, 23, and Dalton Stropes, 22, both pleaded guilty second degree murder for the June 29, 2015, fatal stabbing, according to Cook County court records. They were initially charged with murder, mob action, and aggravated battery with a weapon, all felonies, but accepted a plea deal with the 8-year sentences.

Boyle allegedly enlisted his friends, Stropes and Escamilla, to help lure a 19-year-old man he feuded with over Facebook into an alley in the 2100 block of West Windsor Avenue in Lincoln Square so they could beat him, according to prosecutors.

Boyle allegedly approached their target in the street, and Escamilla and Stropes emerged once they ended up in the alley, prosecutors said during a previous court hearing.

The man who was cornered took out a 2-inch pocketknife to scare them but put it away, prosecutors said. Escamilla then punched the man, and Boyle and Stropes followed.

The man who was being attacked backed into a pole, removed the knife from his boot and stabbed Escamilla in the chest, Quinn said. He also stabbed Boyle and Stropes before escaping and calling 911.

A neighbor saw some of the fight as she pulled into her garage and saw two people run past her home, Quinn said. She also saw Escamilla lying on the ground bleeding, and stayed with her until police arrived.

Boyle eventually returned to the alley with his fiancée, who had stopped at a nearby library to use the restroom during the brawl, prosecutors said. She apparently heard her friends discussing the attack before she went into the library, and saw Boyle running with blood on his face when she came out.

Boyle tried to explain what happened, but then ran away before police arrived, leaving the neighbor and his fiancée applying pressure to Escamilla’s wound.

The man who had been beaten was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston for treatment, authorities said. He suffered contusions to the head and ribs, a sprained knee, bruised neck, bite mark to his back, and chipped front tooth.

Boyle had cuts to his face and refused treatment at Swedish Covenant Hospital. Stropes suffered multiple stab wounds to his right bicep, left nipple and upper back, authorities said. He was treated at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Boyle and Stropes were charged with Escamilla’s murder because she was killed while they were committing felonies — aggravated battery and mob action, authorities said.

They accepted a plea deal on Monday in front of Cook County Judge Carole Howard, according to court records. They were each sentenced to eight years and credited more than two years they served in the Cook County Jail awaiting trial.

Stropes also pleaded guilty to attacking a correctional officer, according to court records. He was sentenced to an additional year and a half in prison.

WEEK IN REVIEW: 16 people killed in Chicago violence, including 11 over holiday weekend

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 18:45:48 -0500

By JARED LANDSMAN and TRISTAN SIMS
Homicide Watch Chicago

Sixteen people were killed throughout Chicago last week, 11 of them over a violent Independence Day weekend,when the victims included a 7-year-old boy hot while watching fireworks in Humboldt Park on Saturday.

Seven-year-old Amari Brown, who lived in the 500 block of North Drake, and a 26-year-old woman were not the intended targets when they were shot while standing in the 1100 block of North Harding just before midnight.

Police said Sunday the bullet that fatally wounded the boy on the Fourth of July was meant for his father. Both Amari and the woman were shot in the chest at 11:55 p.m., police said.

The child's father, Antonio Brown, a ranking gang member who has been arrested 45 times on charges ranging from burglary to gun possession, was not cooperating with police as they tried to find his son’s killer, Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said Sunday.

The woman was was also taken to Stroger, where her condition stabilized.

The latest killing was Sunday afternoon involving a 48-year-old man who was shot in the Calumet Heights neighborhood.

Anthony Strong was shot in the right side of his chest about 4:55 p.m. in the 9200 block of South Harper, police said.

Strong, who lived in the same block he was shot, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 6:06 p.m., the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Police said they were questioning a person of interest.

Earlier, two brothers from Missouri died Sunday morning after shots were fired at an SUV in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Side.

John Hunter, 25, and his brother Willie Hunter, 31, were sitting inside an SUV about 6:10 a.m. in the 8800 block of South Bishop, when another male walked up and opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

The SUV—driven by the younger brother—sped away, but then crashed into a building in the 1600 block of West 89th, authorities said.

John Hunter, of the 300 block of East Ashley Street in Jefferson City, Missouri, was shot multiple times. He was taken to Christ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7 a.m., authorities said.

Willie Hunter, of the 1200 block of East High Street in Jefferson City, was discovered unresponsive in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy Monday revealed he also died from gunshot wounds.

At about 5 a.m. that morning, a man was hit and killed by a minivan during an argument in North Lawndale.

27-year-old John Perry and a 23-year-old woman were involved in a verbal and physical altercation in the 1100 block of South Francisco, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

At some point, the woman got into a minivan, drove onto the sidewalk and struck the man with the vehicle before speeding off, police said.

Perry, who lives on the 400 block of West 65th Place, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later, the medical examiner’s office said.

An autopsy Monday found that he died of mechanical asphyxia from being hit and pinned under the vehicle, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled a homicide.

Chicago Police continue to investigate. It was not clear if anyone was in custody as of Monday afternoon.

Earlier Sunday, a man was killed in a shooting that left two others wounded in the Northwest Side Albany Park neighborhood.

Jeremy Spivey, 23, and the two others were sitting inside a van in an alley near Sunnyside and Kimball about 2:30 a.m. when a male walked up and fired shots, authorities said.

Spivey, of the 4700 block of West Belmont, was shot multiple times and taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:03 a.m., authorities said.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in the right leg and taken to Masonic, where his condition was stabilized. A 26-year-old woman was shot in the right finger and was being treated at Swedish Covenant Hospital, police said.

Relatives of the 17-year-old, who live near the shooting, said they spent the day barbecuing and watching fireworks for the Fourth of July. A female relative said she had heard gunshots around their home between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., then again at 10 p.m.

She took her family inside just five minutes before the shooting. She and her children said they heard about seven gunshots but didn’t think anything of it until they heard ambulances pull up.

About an hour and a half earlier, a 26-year-old man was shot to death in the South Shore neighborhood.

Dominic Fairley Jr. was sitting in his car in the 7700 block of South South Shore Drive about 1 a.m. when someone walked up and fired shots into the car, authorities said.

He was taken to South Shore Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:19 a.m. He lived in the 8500 block of South Hermitage, authorities said. Police said the shooting is possibly gang-related.

17-year-old Vonzell Banks was gunned down on Friday near the recently renamed Hadiya Peddleton park, names for the King College Prep student who was slain in 2013.

Banks was shot in the back, like Peddleton. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:31 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Earlier Friday, a man was killed and a woman wounded in a South Side Washington Heights neighborhood drive-by shooting on the South Side.

The two were walking in the alley in the 9100 block of South Ashland about 1:20 a.m. when someone in a passing white van opened fire, police said.

Grover Tate, 47, of the 1500 block of West 95th Street, was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

The woman, 43, was shot in the abdomen and buttocks, and was taken to Christ Medical Center, where her condition had stabilized, police said.

A 26-year-old man was killed in the same block he lived in just after midnight Friday in the South Side Back of the Yards neighborhood.

The man, identified as Jose Hernandez, was sitting on a porch at 12:05 a.m. in the 4800 block of South Justine when another male walked up and shot him in the back, authorities said.

He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later, the medical examiner’s office said.

An officer at the scene said the shooting—the second on that block in about nine hours—may have stemmed from a conflict involving the La Raza street gang. Neighbors said they heard about four to six gunshots.

“We were all in the kitchen you know, having bonding, family time, and this happens,” said 15-year-old Jocelyn Avila, who lives on the block and also heard gunshots from the other shooting at 3 p.m. Thursday.

The first homicide of the weekend happened Thursday evening in the Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

At about 6:25 p.m., Joseph Gutierrez was riding a bicycle in the 2700 block of South Karlov when a gunman ran up and shot him repeatedly in the upper body, authorities said.

Gutierrez, of the 6200 block of South Kenneth, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:06 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said. Police said the shooting may have been gang-related.

Earlier in the week, Moses Van Pelt, 22, was shot in the Riverdale neighborhood on the Far South Side.

The shooting happened in the 13200 block of South Greenwood at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Pelt, of the 0-100 block of Olympic Village in Chicago Heights, was sitting in a parked vehicle when a gray SUV pulled up with several people inside and at least one opened fire, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 7:30 p.m., authorities said.

On Wednesday evening, a Humboldt Park man was shot and killed in a double shooting in North Lawndale, police said.

50-year-old Edgar Colon,of the 700 block of North Kedzie, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead, authorities said.

At about 9:50 p.m., Colon and another man, 38, were standing on a sidewalk in the 3600 block of West 16th Street when two gunmen walked up and opened fire, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The other man took himself to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right leg, where his condition stabilized, police said.

Another killing was a domestic dispute involving a couple on Wednesday.

The victim, Vanessa Taylor, was found strangled in her West Garfield Park apartment after her alleged boyfriend posted on Facebook that he had killed her, police sources said.

Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene when officers were performing a well-being check in Taylor’s apartment in the 4300 block of West Flournoy Avenue, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Wednesday found she died of asphyxiation and ligature strangulation, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Late Tuesday evening, Avery Williams was shot to death in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the Far South Side.

About 10:45 p.m., the 22-year-old Williams was driving in the 11100 block of South Hamlet when a black SUV pulled alongside and a gunman inside shot him the abdomen, according to police and the medical examiner office.

Williams died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said. He lived in the 10400 block of South Church.

Angelica Escamilla was stabbed at about 3:30 p.m. Monday in the 2100 block of West Windsor, according to police.

A man armed with a knife attacked her, police said. Two other men, ages 19 and 21, were stabbed during the fight, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Police said Escamilla and two other men attacked a third man, who stabbed her in self-defense. The other two men are charged with the murder.

Escamilla, of the 4200 block of North Lincoln, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

The two men were each taken to hospitals. The 21-year-old was in fair condition, and the 19-year-old suffered non-life-threatening lacerations to his face, authorities said.

Earlier on Monday, Adrian Campos was stabbed to death in Logan Square after 3 a.m.

The 26-year-old Campos was stabbed in the chest during an argument with another man in the 1900 block of North Rockwell, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Campos, who lived on the same block where he was stabbed, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:11 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

A suspect is in custody, police said.

Angelica Escamilla and men charged with her murder ambushed another man: prosecutors

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 17:47:36 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Raymond Boyle | Chicago Police

Raymond Boyle allegedly enlisted a pair of friends to help lure a man he’d feuded with on Facebook to a Lincoln Square alley and beat him.

When the fight was over late Monday afternoon, Boyle’s cohort, 20-year-old Angelica Escamilla, was dead, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.

Boyle and his other pal, Dalton Stropes, were also injured, as was their teenage prey, who police determined stabbed Escamilla in self-defense, Assistant State’s Attorney Barry Quinn said Thursday.

Boyle, 21; and Stropes, 20, were charged with Escamilla’s murder because she was killed while they were committing felonies—aggravated battery and engaging in mob action, authorities said.

Escamilla had repeatedly punched the trio’s 19-year-old target during the brawl in the 2100 block of West Windsor Avenue, Quinn said. She also allegedly got into the man’s face and threatened to “beat his ass.”

Boyle had first approached his enemy in the street. Once they ended up in the alley, Escamilla and Stropes emerged, Quinn said.

The man who was cornered by the other three took out a 2-inch pocketknife to scare the others, but put it away, Quinn said. Escamilla then threw the first punch. Boyle and Stropes followed, punching and beating the man with Escamilla’s help, Quinn said.

When the man who was being attacked was backed into a pole, he removed the knife from his boot and stabbed Escamilla in the chest, Quinn said. The man also stabbed the two others before he was able to escape and call 911, Quinn said.

A neighbor, who saw some of the fight as she pulled into her garage, glimpsed two people run past her home. She also saw Escamilla lying on the ground bleeding and stayed with her until police arrived, Quinn said.

Boyle eventually came back to the alley with his fiancee, who had gone to a nearby library to use the restroom during the deadly brawl, Quinn said. Boyle’s fiancee had heard her friends discuss fighting the 19-year-old man before she went into the library, Quinn said. When she came out of the building, she saw Boyle running with blood all over his face, Quinn said.

Boyle had explained to her what happened as Escamilla tried to cling to life. But he ran away before police came, leaving the neighbor and his fiancee to put pressure on Escamilla’s wound, Quinn said.

The man who was beaten by Boyle, Escamilla and Stropes had told police what happened and where he was. Authorities took him to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston.

He suffered contusions to the head and ribs, a sprained knee, bruised neck, bite mark to his back and chipped front tooth, Quinn said.

Boyle, of the 1500 block of North Pulaski Road, refused treatment at Swedish Covenant Hospital, but he had cuts to his face.

Stropes, of the 2000 block of West Arthur Avenue, suffered multiple stab wounds to his right bicep, left nipple and upper back. He remained hospitalized Thursday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a punctured lung, a Chicago Police officer told Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr.

Bourgeois ordered Stropes—who is on supervision for a trespass case and probation for an aggravated battery case in Peoria County—held without bond Thursday.

Boyle was ordered held on $1 million. He allegedly admitted luring and beating his rival in the alley, Quinn said.

An assistant public defender said Boyle is expecting a child.

Two men charged with fatal stabbing of Angelica Escamilla during Lincoln Square brawl

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 11:35:54 -0500

By REEMA AMIN and JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Two men have been charged with a stabbing that left 20-year-old woman Angelica Escamilla dead and a 19-year-old man hurt during a melee Monday afternoon in the North Side Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Raymond Boyle, 21; and Dalton Stropes, 20, are each charged with two counts of murder, one count of mob action, and one count of aggravated battery with a weapon, all felonies, according to Chicago Police.

The fight happened about 3:30 p.m. Monday in the 2100 block of West Windsor, police said. One of the men, armed with a knife, stabbed Escamilla, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. A 19-year-old man was also beaten.

Raymond Boyle | Chicago Police

Escamilla, of the 4200 block of North Lincoln, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found she died of a stab wound to the chest and her death was ruled a homicide.

Police initially said the attack was domestic-related. No motive was provided Thursday morning.

Boyle, of the 1500 block of North Pulaski; and Stropes, of the 2000 block of West Arthur, are scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday.

Angelica Escamilla fatally stabbed, two injured, during domestic dispute in Lincoln Square

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 10:35:24 -0500

Angelica Escamilla was fatally stabbed and two other people injured during a domestic-related fight Monday afternoon in the North Side Lincoln Square neighborhood, officials said.

The stabbing happened about 3:30 p.m. in the 2100 block of West Windsor, police said.

During the fight, a man armed with a knife stabbed the 20-year-old Escamilla and two other men, ages 19 and 21, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Escamilla, of the 4200 block of North Lincoln, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found she died of a stab wound to the chest and her death was ruled a homicide.

The two men were each taken to hospitals. The 21-year-old was in fair condition, and the 19-year-old suffered non-life-threatening lacerations to his face, authorities said.

A person of interest was being questioned Wednesday morning, police said, but no charges have been filed.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire