Arthur Hearn | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: Clarence Sams beat 88-year-old Arthur Hearn to death during Chatham robbery

Michael Lansu — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 14:21:54 -0500

Clarence Sams / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

A second man has been charged with murder for allegedly beating 88-year-old Arthur Hearn to death last month in the Chatham neighborhood.

Clarence Sams, 24, of the 9200 block of South Dobson Avenue, was also charged with one count of felony robbery and was wanted on an outstanding warrant, police said.

Assistant State's Attorney Robert Mack said Sams and Samuel Higgins were looking for someone to rob on Sept. 25 and Sams told a witness they were going to "hit a lick."

The pair walked past Hearn in the 8500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue then Sams struck the elderly man while Higgins acted as a lookout, prosecutors said.

A witness saw Sams kneeling over Hearn and searching the elderly man's pockets as he laid on his back with blood coming from his head, Mack said.

A witness attempted to chase the men away and they eventually fled when a police car was flagged down, Mack said.

Hearn, of the 8400 block of South Langley Avenue, died Sept. 28 from the head injuries, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Sams was arrested Oct. 7 and admitted on video to punching and robbing Hearn, Mack said.

Samuel Higgins / Photo from Chicago Police

On Wednesday, Judge Laura Sullivan ordered Sams held on $2 million bond.

Sams was convicted of reckless discharge of a firearm in 2011 and sentenced to a year in prison and was convicted of unlawful use of a weapon in 2012 and sentenced to three years in prison, according to court records.

Higgins, 29, of the 900 block of East 84th Street, was arrested Oct. 2 and charged with murder. He was ordered held on $1 million bond during a Saturday hearing.

-- Contributing: Rummana Hussain

Prosecutors: Samuel Higgins acted as lookout while acomplice beat 88-year-old Arthur Hearn to death

Michael Lansu — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 23:12:43 -0500

Samuel Higgins / Photo from Chicago Police

BY LEEANN SHELTON
Chicago Sun-Times

A hairdresser accused of standing as a lookout while another man robbed and beat an 88-year-old man to death was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bond Saturday.

Prosecutors said Samuel Higgins and his cohort were looking for someone to rob when they spotted Arthur Hearn waiting for the bus to go to work on the morning of Sept. 25.

Higgins, 29, allegedly acted as a lookout while the other suspect hit the elderly man in the head, knocking him to the ground in the 8500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, prosecutors said. Witnesses also saw the other suspect kneel over the injured man and take something from his pocket.

Prosecutors said Higgins yelled at a passer-by who tried to help Hearn. The passer-by flagged down a patrol car, and the suspects fled, authorities said.

Hearn, of the 8400 block of South Langley Avenue, died as a result of his head injuries, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Higgins, of the 900 block of East 84th Street, was arrested on Thursday.

He was allegedly captured on surveillance camera and identified by one of the officers who was flagged down.

Higgins, who appeared in court in a short fur cape, T-shirt and blue jeans, is facing murder and robbery charges.

He has six previous felony convictions, including prostitution, according to court records.

Arthur Hearn, 88, dies after being beaten in Chatham

Michael Lansu — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 22:00:02 -0500

Police say an 88-year-old man died after two people beat him during an attempted robbery last Thursday in the Chatham neighborhood.

Arthur Hearn was walking in the 8500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when a man and woman approached and pushed him down at 4:53 a.m. Sept. 25, authorities said.

The pair went through Hearn's pockets, but police said it was unclear whether they took anything before running off.

It wasn’t known who alerted authorities, but Hearn was eventually taken to Jackson Park Hospital, authorities said. He was later transferred in critical condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in critical condition, police said.

Hearn, of the 8400 block of South Langley, died at 5:50 p.m. Sunday at Horizon Hospice of head injuries from the assault, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. His death was ruled a homicide.

The man suspected of pushing Hearn is described to be between 20 and 30 years old, while the woman is described being 25 to 30.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire