WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight men shot dead in citywide murders

Michael Lansu — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 09:00:03 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Eight men were shot to death in killings throughout the city last week.

The most recent murders happened when two men were shot to death during an apparent home invasion in the 9100 block of South Commercial Avenue about 5 a.m. Sunday, police said.

A neighbor called police after a man turned up at the door for help, police said. The injured man collapsed in the neighbor’s apartment and was dead by the time officers arrived.

Officers found a second man shot to death in the building, police said. Both men were thought to be in their mid-30s and remained unidentified Monday morning, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

On Friday, 19-year-old Tremaine Scott was walking with friends in the 8200 block of South Princeton Avenue when a male approached and started fighting about 7:05 p.m., authorities said.

The male who started the fight eventually pulled out a gun and shot Scott, of the 9300 block of South Calumet Avenue in the chest, authorities said. He died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

In the Austin neighborhood, police found Timothy Travis lying on a sidewalk in the 4900 block of West Huron Street at 5:22 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Travis, 21, of the 4900 block of West Quincy Street, was shot in the head and dead at the scene, authorities said.

On Thursday, 19-year-old Kevin Baker was walking with his cousin in the 6200 block of South Campbell Avenue about 4:15 p.m. when two people — one armed with a handgun — got out of a dark-colored van and demanded their cellphones, police said. After the two handed over their phones, the armed robber opened fire, striking Baker in the head.

Baker, a student at Harold Washington College, was on his way back from class when the robbery and shooting happened, said neighbor and family friend Earnestine Barnette. He died at 5:45 a.m. Saturday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The killing happened in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, which has had four of the city's 14 killings in 2014.

In Englewood, a gunman chased 27-year-old Lester Jones and shot him multiple times in the 7000 block of South Halsted Street about 10:45 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Jones, of the 6200 block of South Talman Avenue, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn just over an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Wednesday, two males approached 22-year-old Geo Martinez in the 3200 block of West 23rd Street and shot him in the head and chest about 7:25 p.m., authorities said.

Martinez, of the 2200 block of South Spaulding Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the West Garfield Park neighborhood, police found Kendre Davis lying in the 3900 block of West Congress Parkway with a gunshot wound to the head about 1:25 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Davis, 27, of the 400 block of South Lockwood Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Geo Martinez shot dead in South Lawndale

Michael Lansu — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 09:09:35 -0600

Geo Martinez was fatally shot Wednesday night in the South Lawndale neighborhood.

Two males approached Martinez, 22, in the 3200 block of West 23rd Street about 7:25 p.m. Wednesday and shot him in the head and chest, authorities said.

Martinez, of the 2200 block of South Spaulding Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:46 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating if the shooting is gang related, police said.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Geo Martinez | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight men shot dead in citywide murders

Geo Martinez shot dead in South Lawndale