Danny Melendez | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Four killed throughout the city, police rule two of the deaths self-defense

Michael Lansu — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 08:56:00 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Three men were fatally shot and a fourth was stabbed to death in homicides throughout Chicago last week.

Detectives ruled two of the killings self-defense and classified them as justified involuntary manslaughter, police said.

The most recent killing happened late Friday when 22-year-old Francisco Rufino was killed in the 1800 block of West 19th Street in the Pilsen neighborhood, authorities said.

Rufino and a 28-year-old man were in a westbound vehicle when they were shot about 10:30 p.m. Friday, authorities said. Rufino, of the 1800 block of West 17th Street, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County at 3:19 a.m. Saturday, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The other man was taken to University of Illinois Hospital with a gunshot wound to the arm, police said.

Earlier in the Pilsen neighborhood, a resident fatally shot alleged burglar Mario Viramontes during a home invasion in the 2000 block of West 21st Street about 9:10 a.m. Friday, authorities said. Viramontes, 31, of the 2100 block of West Cermak Road, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Detectives determined the shooting was self-defense and ruled the killing a justified involuntary manslaughter, police said.

On Wednesday, 19-year-old Tevin Bryant was shot dead in an apartment in the 700 block of East 79th Street about noon, authorities said.

Bryant was inside the apartment with a group of people when somebody shot him in the head, authorities said. Bryant, of the 7900 block of South Greenwood Avenue, was dead on the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

A 20-year-old man in Bryant's group was also wounded, police said.

The killing started last Tuesday when 38-year-old Danny Melendez was stabbed in the leg during a fight in the 2300 block of North Cicero Avenue, authorities said.

Melendez, of the 5300 block of West Irving Park Road, died at 1:20 a.m. Thursday at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner's office.

Police initially took a 31-year-old woman into custody, but she was released without being charged after the death was also ruled self defense, police said.

Chicago Police reported 20 killings in January 2014, a 50 percent decrease from the first month of 2013. The decrease happened in a month that had 11 days of subzero temperature and was one of the coldest months in recent years.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office, which classifies killings different, ruled 23 Chicago deaths homicides. Three killings ruled involuntary manslaughter by Chicago Police, including Viramontes and Melendez.

In the other manslaughter case, 52-year-old Joeann Smith fatally shot 65-year-old relative Willie Smith at her South Shore home during a Jan. 8 argument about whether the gun would fire, authorities said. She was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm.

Police: Murders down 50 percent from January 2013

Michael Lansu — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 15:19:33 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Chicago had half as many murders in January 2014 compared to the first month of 2013.

Police reported 20 killings in the month, which had 11 days of subzero temperature and was one of the coldest months in recent years.

"The superintendent has said weather is a factor, but its not the only factor," said Chicago Police spokesman Adam Collins. "It neither causes nor prevents crime."

Overall, Chicago had 50 percent fewer killings than it did in January 2013, when 40 people were murdered; 47 percent fewer slayings than January 2012, when 38 people were killed; and a 29 percent decrease from January 2011, when 28 people were murdered, police said.

Nineteen of the 20 people killed were males, and the most common victim was a 19-year-old man. The youngest victim was 15-year-old Miguel Naverrette and the oldest was 44-year-old Edward Caridine.

Eighteen of the 20 murders were shootings. In the other two, Stephanie Serrano was stabbed to death at a Jan. 6 party and Caridine was found beaten to death in his apartment Jan. 22, according autopsies performed by the medical examiner’s office.

Three of the city’s 77 community areas had multiple murders in January. The Chicago Lawn community had the most killings with five. South Lawndale and Chatham also tallied multiple slayings with three and two, respectively.

The decrease in murders came in one of the coldest Januarys in recent years. The average temperature in January 2014 was about 15.5 degrees -- about 8.5 degrees colder than normal, according to the National Weather Service. The average temperature was about 26.5 degrees in January 2013 and about 30 degrees in January 2012 -- nearly three to 6.5 degrees warmer than normal.

Despite the colder temperature, Chicago still tallied a murder on 14 different days in January 2014 -- including one on the coldest day of the month when the average temperature was minus-9 degrees.

The city recorded 90 shootings and 98 shooting victims in January 2014 -- the lowest total in the past four years, police said. In the first month of 2013, the city had 158 shootings and 186 victims.

“After historic lows in crime and violence in 2013, January saw continued progress, yet much more work remains to be done and no one will rest until everyone in Chicago enjoys the same sense of safety," Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said in a statement. "We are continuing to make progress, like the near all-time lows we saw last February and March, but it will become more challenging without better laws that help keep illegal guns out of our communities and punish the criminals who carry them.”

The Cook County medical examiner’s office, which classifies killings different, ruled 23 Chicago deaths homicides. Authorities determined three of the deaths were involuntary manslaughter, which Chicago Police do not count as murders in accordance with the FBI's Unified Crime Reporting System.

In the first manslaughter case, 52-year-old Joeann Smith fatally shot 65-year-old relative Willie Smith at her South Shore home during a Jan. 8 argument about whether the gun would fire, authorities said. She was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm.

In the second incident, a 31-year-old woman was released without being charged for fatally stabbing 38-year-old Danny Melendez Jan. 29 in the 2300 block of North Cicero Avenue, authorities said.

The third justified homicide happened when a Pilsen resident fatally shot alleged burglar Mario Viramontes in the 2000 block of West 21st Street, authorities said. Viramontes, 31, was dead on the scene.

Danny Melendez stabbed to death in Belmont Cragin

Michael Lansu — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 08:52:31 -0600

Danny Melendez died early Thursday after being stabbed by a woman in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood earlier this week.

A 31-year-old woman stabbed Melendez in the thigh about 8:50 p.m. Tuesday during a fight in the 2300 block of North Cicero Avenue, authorities said.

Melendez, 38, of the 5000 block of West Irving Park Road, was initially taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, authorities said. He died at the hospital at 1:20 a.m. on Thursday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The woman who allegedly stabbed Melendez was taken into custody at the attack, but charges have not yet been filed, police said.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire