Cayetano Sandoval | Homicide Watch Chicago

Mario Ortega is second man charged in 2013 killing of Cayetano Sandoval in Logan Square

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 14:45:38 -0500

By LUKE WILUSZ
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A gang member already in custody for a 2012 murder is now the second person to be charged with robbing and killing 68-year-old Cayetano Sandoval as he was returning home from work in Logan Square in late 2013.

Mario Ortega | Cook County sheriff's office

Mario Ortega, 20; and Joshua Johnson, 23, approached Sandoval after he parked his car in the 1900 block of North Spaulding Avenue around 2 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2013, coming home from his job at a bakery, according to Cook County court documents. Prosecutors said Ortega, also known as “King Krazy,” and Johnson are both Latin Kings.

Ortega ran up behind Sandoval and began to punch him repeatedly “without provocation” while Johnson held him down and went through his pockets, according to prosecutors. Witnesses reported hearing Sandoval screaming for help.

After he finished beating Sandoval, Ortega stood over the man–who was “still lying on the ground writhing in pain”–and fired several shots at him, prosecutors said. Sandoval was struck four times in the chest and body.

Joshua Johnson | Cook County sheriff's office

Ortega was arrested about 10 hours after the shooting on an unrelated narcotics charge and was later charged with murder for a 2012 shooting in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, prosecutors said. In that incident, he was charged with shooting a man to death in the 4600 block of West Ohio on Sept. 20, 2012. He has remained in custody ever since.

He is now charged with the murder and attempted armed robbery of Sandoval, according to prosecutors.

Johnson was charged with murder and attempted robbery last month when he appeared in court in Rolling Meadows on an unrelated case, the Chicago Sun-Times reported at the time.

A person who personally knows both suspects witnessed the shooting from a parked car nearby and identified Ortega and Johnson, prosecutors said. The crime was also captured on surveillance video from a local bar.

Cayetano Sandoval

A friend whose home the two suspects were at before and after the shooting also gave police a statement, prosecutors said, and Johnson admitted he struck Sandoval and held him down while Ortega shot him.

Both men are being held without bond, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. Johnson was expected to appear in court Friday, while Ortega’s next court date is scheduled for July 9 in Skokie.

Prosecutors: Gang members fatally shot Cayetano Sandoval, 68, during Logan Square robbery

Michael Lansu — Sat, 16 May 2015 16:55:24 -0500

Joshua Johnson / Photo from Chicago Police

BY TINA SFONDELES
Chicago Sun-Times

An alleged gang member has been charged with murder after prosecutors said him and a friend fatally shot a 68-year-old man during a 2013 robbery in the Logan Square neighborhood.

Joshua Johnson, 23, was nabbed at the Rolling Meadows courthouse on Friday when he appeared for an unrelated case.

He now also faces first-degree murder charges for the Dec. 12, 2013, shooting death of Cayetano Sandoval in the 1900 block of North Spaulding Avenue.

Prosecutors said Sandoval had just returned home from his job at a bakery when Johnson and another man approached him after he parked his van about 2 a.m.

Johnson demanded Sandoval give them money and began hitting him. Johnson held Sandoval down and the other man took out a gun and opened fire, prosecutors said.

Sandoval was shot five times and died at the scene, authorities said.

Prosecutors said the robbers, both Latin Kings gang members, fled after the shooting.

Surveillance cameras captured the murder, and several witnesses also saw the shooting, prosecutors said.

The robbers fled to a friend's home, and that friend gave police a statement about the murder, prosecutors said.

Cayetano Sandoval

Johnson himself admitted he hit Sandoval as they tried to rob him and also held him down as the other man shot him, prosecutors said.

Despite not pulling the trigger, Johnson was charged with murder and attempted armed robbery. The other man has not yet been charged.

Johnson, whose home address is listed as the 8500 block of South Avalon Avenue and the 1900 block of Oakton Street in Elk Grove Village, has previously been convicted of felony residential burglary and felony burglary.

On Saturday, Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered Johnson held without bond. He will be back in court Monday.

WEEK IN REVIEW: 10 killed in citywide homicides last week

Michael Lansu — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 08:36:40 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were shot to death and one person was fatally stabbed in homicides throughout the city last week.

At least one of the deaths is believed to be domestic in nature, while another was a store owner defending himself against an alleged armed robber, police said.

The most recent killing happened when Kahlin L. Holloway was stabbed to death in a domestic dispute about 5:45 p.m. Sunday in the 9600 block of South Merrion Avenue, authorities said.

Holloway, of the 9600 block of South Euclid Avenue, was driven to Advocate Trinity Hospital, where he died about 45 minutes later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A female was taken into police custody after the stabbing, police said. The relationship between the two was not immediately known and no charges have been filed as of Monday morning.

In the North Lawndale neighborhood, Louis Berry was found shot to death on a sidewalk in the 4300 block of West Cullerton Street about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Barry, of the 3200 block of West Potomac Avenue, was declared dead on the scene about 10 minutes later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Police said there were no reports of shots fired in the area that night.

On Saturday, Deangelo Shelton was killed and another man was seriously wounded in a 1:25 a.m. shooting in the 300 block of North Central Avenue, authorities said.

The two men were standing in the vestibule of an apartment building when a group entered and opened fire, police said. Shelton, 26, of the 3800 block of West Arthington Street, was shot several times in the abdomen area and died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner's office.

The other man, 25, was shot once in the abdomen area and was hospitalized in “guarded” condition, police said.

In the Woodlawn neighborhood, 42-year-old Michael Turner was shot in an alley in the 700 block of East 67th Street about 1:10 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Turner, of the 9400 block of South Eberhart Avenue, died at Stroger Hospital about an hour later, authorities said.

On Thursday, 17-year-old Darnell Williams was shot while walking on the sidewalk in the 0-100 block of East 102nd Place about 2:45 p.m., authorities said.

Williams, who lived on the block, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner's office.

In Logan Square, 68-year-old Cayetano Sandoval was shot to death during an attempted robbery in the 1900 block of North Spaulding Avenue about 1:50 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Witnesses in a nearby bar told officers that two people tried to rob Sandoval. One of the robbers knocked him to the ground, then the other shot him multiple times, police said.

Sandoval, of the 1600 block of West Ontario Street, was shot as many as five times and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

On Wednesday, Anthony Rivers, 30, was in a vehicle in the 5400 block of South Bishop Street when somebody approached and opened fire about 10:15 p.m., authorities said.

Rivers, of the 800 block of East 87th Street, was shot in the head, back and armpit and died at Stroger Hospital, authorities said.

On Tuesday, a South Side store owner fatally shot 25-year-old Demarcus Brandon when he allegedly tried to rob the business, authorities said. Harvey police suspected Brandon of shooting a police officer in the south suburb in November.

Authorities said Brandon entered the cell phone store in the 1700 block of East 87th Street and tried to rob the business at gunpoint about 6:30 p.m. The store owner, who also had a handgun, fatally shot the would-be robber.

Brandon, of the of 120 block of East 140th Court in Riverdale, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. The store owner was not injured, police said.

In the Morgan Park neighborhood, 30-year-old Kevin Johnson in the 11200 block of South Ada Street about 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Johnson, of the 100 block of South Ashland Avenue, was shot in the head and died at the scene.

In the South Shore community, Deonte Womack, 21, was shot about 12:20 p.m. Tuesday in the 7100 block of South Paxton Avenue, authorities said. Womack, of the 6900 block of South Paxton Avenue, died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital at 2:52 p.m., according to the medical examiner's office.

A 22-year-old man was also wounded in the shooting and taken to Northwestern Hospital in serious condition, police said.

Cayetano Sandoval, 68, shot to death during attempted robbery in Logan Square

Michael Lansu — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:06:54 -0600

A 68-year-old man was shot to death during an attempted robbery in the Logan Square neighborhood early Thursday.

Cayetano Sandoval was shot in the chest multiple times in the 1900 block of North Spaulding Avenue about 1:50 a.m., authorities said.

Witnesses in a nearby bar told officers that two people tried to rob Sandoval, police said. One of the robbers knocked him to the ground, then the other shot him multiple times.

Both robbers ran off after the shooting, police said.

Sandoval, of the 1600 block of West Ontario Street, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Police said he was shot as many as five times.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire