Donovan Turnage | Homicide Watch Chicago

$1M bond for man charged with killing 11-year-old Donovan Turnage during 2013 carjacking

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:32:49 -0500

By RUMMANNA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Rockie Douglas | Chicago Police

The suspect in a series of carjackings—including one that led to the death of 11-year-old Donovan Turnage—was ordered held on a $1 million bond Wednesday.

Rockie Douglas, 36, was extradited from Wisconsin to Chicago to face charges of murder, aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

A security guard and two Chicago Police officers saw Douglas in a popular drug spot near 50th and Princeton on Dec. 21, 2013, Cook County prosecutors said.

The officers briefly spoke with Douglas and asked him to step out of his vehicle. That’s when Douglas allegedly took off, Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Kleist said.

Donovan Turnage

The car Douglas was driving had been taken in a carjacking the day before, Kleist said.

Douglas, of north suburban Beach Park, had stolen a 60-year-old woman’s car in the 800 block of West Irving Park Road, authorities said at the time.

While leading police on a chase with that stolen car, Douglas ran a red light at the intersection of Garfield and Halsted, and crashed into a Chevrolet Suburban occupied by Donovan and his family, prosecutors said.

Turnage and his loved ones were on their way to get haircuts for Christmas.

Donovan, a fifth-grader at Morrill Math and Science School, was taken to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, where he later died, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Douglas went to a nearby gas station and carjacked another motorist at gunpoint after the deadly wreck, Kleist said. He pushed the motorist away and accelerated as the motorist tried holding onto his car.

Douglas then went to a Jewel parking lot in Oak Lawn, where he drove up to a 52-year-old woman walking to her car and pulled her purse off her shoulder, Kleist said. He drove off with the purse, which had the woman’s credit cards, ID, and $400.

Douglas then went to DuPage County, where he allegedly committed one other robbery and carjacking.

Days later, on Christmas Eve, Douglas was nabbed in a McDonald’s drive-thru in Milwaukee, and was held in the county jail until Tuesday.

At the time of his arrest, he was serving a seven-year probation for a burglary conviction in Wisconsin, authorities previously said.

Douglas was identified by the Chicago Police officers who asked him to stop, the security guard and the motorist whose car was taken at the gas station, Kleist said.

In Illinois, Douglas has previous convictions for theft, burglary and forgery.

He also has a rap sheet for similar convictions in Wisconsin.

Man charged with murder for carjacking that led to death of 11-year-old Donovan Turnage in 2013

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 09:34:12 -0500

By SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Rockie Douglas | Chicago Police

The suspect in a series of carjackings—including one that led to the death of 11-year-old Donovan Turnage in 2013—has been extradited to Chicago from Wisconsin to face criminal charges.

Rockie Douglas, 36, was charged with two counts of murder, one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon, and one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to Chicago Police. He was extradited from Wisconsin Tuesday and was expected to appear in bond court Wednesday.

Douglas, of north suburban Beach Park, stole a 60-year-old woman’s vehicle in the 800 block of West Irving Park Road about 11:20 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2013, police said.

Donovan Turnage

Officers chased the vehicle across the city to the intersection of Garfield and Halsted, authorities said at the time. Douglas then crashed into a Chevrolet Suburban, occupied by Donovan and his family, who were going to get haircuts for Christmas.

Donovan, a fifth-grader at Morrill Math and Science School, was taken to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:35 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Douglas then stole another vehicle before fleeing the state, authorities said at the time. He was arrested on Christmas Eve 2013 in a McDonald’s drive-thru in Milwaukee and was held in the county jail there until Tuesday.

At the time of his arrest, he was serving a seven-year probation for burglary in Wisconsin, authorities previously said.

Comment of the Day: "Your loss is immense and so unnecessary"

Will Hager — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:27:26 -0600

Donovan Turnage was killed in Englewood in December. Commenter "Dollface" shared this about him:

My heart and prayers go out to the family. Your loss is immense and so unnecessary.
When a family goes out to do normal errands, they don't expect to be attacked like this. I wish that this thug could get the death penalty, of course, it's no longer an option in Illinois. He should never see the light of day again.
To Donovan's family, someday you will be able to take comfort in the fact that Donovan had wonderful parents and he knew that he was loved. It sounds like you raised a wonderful child, you did what you were supposed to do.

Police: Serial carjacker Rockie Douglas captured in Wisconsin, accused of killing boy in crash while fleeing police

Michael Lansu — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 12:43:45 -0600

Rockie Douglas / Photo from Chicago Police

BY BECKY SCHLIKERMAN AND JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times

The man who allegedly committed a series of carjackings this weekend in Chicago, leading to the death of an 11-year-old South Side boy, was captured Tuesday while apparently placing an order at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Milwaukee, authorities said.

“He was at the window,” U.S. Marshal Supervisor Douglas Bachert said about Rockie Douglas.

Douglas, 34, was with a woman in his car when he was apprehended, Bachert said.

Douglas was the subject of a manhunt by Chicago, state and federal authorities for his crime spree this weekend in Chicago. Police had said he may have been driving a light blue 2007 four-door Honda Accord with Illinois license plate X144777.

Chicago and state police say Douglas began a series of carjackings in Chicago on Friday, when he allegedly stole a green Dodge Caravan at 11:20 a.m. in the 800 block of West Irving Park Road.

Police said they tried to pull him over about 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the 5000 block of South Princeton Avenue, but he fled and crashed into an SUV in Englewood carrying 11-year-old Donovan Turnage near West Garfield Boulevard and South Halsted Street.

Turnage, of the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, was pronounced dead a short time later and the Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide. Meanwhile, Douglas allegedly stole a second car and got away.

Turnage was on his way to get a Christmas haircut with his father and older brother when he was killed.

“He took our angel from us,” the boy’s mother, Annette Turnage, 51, said of the carjacker.

Turnage was a fifth-grader at Morrill Math & Science School.

His mother said he loved football and video games, had a pet bird and a pet turtle and loved being with his family.

Losing him just days before Christmas “is very painful,” she said. “He was looking forward to opening his presents on Christmas.”

Police said he stole a third vehicle, the 2007 Honda Accord, after the second stolen car broke down in the western suburbs.