Jabari Davis | Homicide Watch Chicagohttp://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jabari-davis/Latest news about Jabari Davisen-usMon, 19 May 2014 16:14:55 -0500Comment of the Day: "They take someone's life as casual as someone who takes a stick of gum!"http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/19/comment-of-the-day-they-take-someones-life-as-casual-as-someone-who-takes-a-stick-of-gum/<p><a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jabari-davis/">Jabari Davis</a> was shot dead May 3 in his Chatham neighborhood home. Reader Joe Raines posted this about the murder:</p> <blockquote><p>Another victim of a senseless murder. The problem now a days is some don't value life, and resort to guns to settle an argument or a fight. Those who usually do these killings are cowards, and they take someone's life as casual as someone who takes a stick of gum! There seems to be a senseless or cold blooded murder every week and for what? The victims and the shooters are getting younger.....</p></blockquote> Michael LansuMon, 19 May 2014 16:14:55 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/19/comment-of-the-day-they-take-someones-life-as-casual-as-someone-who-takes-a-stick-of-gum/Jabari DavisVIDEO: Cubs parking attendant Jabari Davis 'was loyal among wolves'http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/14/video-cubs-parking-attendant-jabari-davis-was-loyal-among-wolves/<p><span class='embed-youtube' style='text-align:center; display: block;'><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='500' height='312' src='http://www.youtube.com/embed/QYO_ENwYbV8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></p> <p>BY JESSICA KOSCIELNIAK AND EMILY BROSIOUS<br /> Homicide Watch Chicago</p> <p>During the funeral service for <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jabari-davis/">Jabari Davis</a> it didn’t matter if you were a North Sider or a South Sider, a Cubs fan or a Sox fan, everyone was on an even playing ground. </p> <p>After nearly 10 years of working as a parking attendant for the Chicago Cubs, Davis loved the ball club. </p> <p>Davis, 29, was fatally shot about 7:15 a.m. May 3 in his mother’s apartment in the 900 block of East 81st Street, authorities said.</p> <p>Red and white flowers — including an arrangement with the Cubs logo — surrounded the white casket with blue satin lining as family and friends said farewell to the man known as a “Gentle Giant.”</p> <p>The Cubs assisted the Davis family in covering funeral expenses and also provided a bus for more then 50 employees who attended the services. Cubs owner Tom Ricketts attended the wake.<br /> <span id="more-5849"></span><br /> “He had the most beautiful smile,” fellow Cubs parking attendant Carol Cuello said. “It was like a sunny day.” </p> <p>Cuello recalled joking with Davis about finding a full-time job away from being a part-time "parker," but Davis said he was waiting to complete his 10th season with the organization. </p> <p>“He was looking forward to his 10th-year pin," Cuello said.</p> <p><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2014/05/homicide-CST-051214-002-500x333.jpg" alt="homicide-CST-051214-002" width="100%" height="auto" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-5851" /></p> <p>Last week, Linda Davis sat on her sister's front stoop in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood, afraid to return to her apartment. She is terrified. </p> <p>The grieving mother had just finalized her son's funeral arrangements with Leak &#038; Sons Funeral Home. Going to Leak is a tradition for the Davis family.</p> <p>Davis doesn't want to go back. Most likely, she won't go back — she can't erase the images of her eldest child lying on floor near the front door to her second-story apartment.</p> <p>“It’s never going to leave my heart,” she said. “I saw my son lying there in a puddle of blood.” </p> <p>Davis wonders whether her son would still be alive if her security requests to the Ranch Realty property manager were granted. </p> <p>“My building was a trap — full of people doing and selling drugs, coming and going," she said.</p> <p>At the very least, she wanted security cameras in the hallways. Something to make the residents feel safer. </p> <p>But Ranch Reality took no action.</p> <p>Less then a week after the murder, Earmer Young, owner of Ranch Realty, acknowledged that the situation in the building was “out of hand,” and said security problems had plagued the building long before he took over property management in February. But there were no plans for security enhancements because the owners “can’t afford it,” he said.</p> <p><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2014/05/homicide-CST-051214-007-500x333.jpg" alt="homicide-CST-051214-007" width="100%" height="auto" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-5855" /></p> <p>Grown men, mostly dressed in matching "RIP" shirts fought back tears as they pulled the casket<br /> from the hearse and carried it to its final resting place in the east end of Oakwood Cemetery.</p> <p>Deneen Weather took a few steps closer to the casket as her boyfriend — the father of her son — was lowered into the ground. She wailed in grief before turning away. This was too much</p> <p>"I need Jabari," she yelled. "I want him back."</p> <p>After the service, friends and cousins gathered near the grave, sharing stories and memories of their laidback friend known for staying away from trouble. </p> <p>"He was loyal among wolves. . . . He was bridge builder no matter what side you was from," Robert Coker said while standing near the grave.</p> <p>"He was one of the greats. His heart was too big."</p> <p><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2014/05/homicide-CST-051214-004-500x333.jpg" alt="homicide-CST-051214-004" width="100%" height="auto" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-5853" /></p> <p><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2014/05/homicide-CST-051214-003-500x333.jpg" alt="homicide-CST-051214-003" width="100%" height="auto" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-5852" /><br /> All photos by Jessica Koscielniak</p> Jessica KoscienlniakWed, 14 May 2014 17:18:00 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/14/video-cubs-parking-attendant-jabari-davis-was-loyal-among-wolves/Jabari DavisWEEK IN REVIEW: Nine murdered throughout Chicagohttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/05/week-in-review-nine-murdered-throughout-chicago/<p>BY MICHAEL LANSU<br /> Homicide Watch Chicago Editor</p> <p>Nine people were murdered last week in Chicago, and a 10th person died from injuries suffered in a mid-April shooting.</p> <p>The killings included seven shooting deaths, one stabbing and one man intentionally run over by an SUV.</p> <p>Four of the murders happened over the weekend, when 26 other people were wounded by gunfire.</p> <p>The most recent murder happened when 41-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/william-bailey/">William Bailey</a> was shot in the back in a garage in the 9200 block of South Emerald Avenue about 11:35 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.<br /> <span id="more-5665"></span><br /> Bailey, of the 7300 block of South Union Avenue, about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.</p> <p>In the Chatham neighborhood, 29-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jabari-davis/">Jabari Davis</a> was fatally shot in his home in the 900 block of East 81st Street about 7:15 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. He died at the scene.</p> <p>In the Austin neighborhood, 23-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/terrance-mcneal/">Terrance McNeal</a> was fatally shot during a fight on a sidewalk in the 400 block of North Leclaire Avenue about 3:15 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.</p> <p>McNeal, of the 400 block of North Leamington Avenue, was shot in the abdomen and arm and died at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said.</p> <p>On Saturday, 55-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/rickey-hayes/">Rickey Hayes</a> was fatally stabbed during a fight in the 7900 block of South Ingleside Avenue about 9:45 p.m., authorities said.</p> <p>Hayes, of the 500 block of East 76th Street, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County about an hour later, according to the medical examiner's office.</p> <p>In the McKinley Park neighborhood, 24-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/antonio-mendez/">Antonio Mendez</a> was intentionally run over by an SUV during an argument in the 1800 block of West 33rd Place about 6:45 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.</p> <p>Mendez, of the 2200 block of West 35th Place, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County less than a half hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy determined Mendez died from multiple injuries from an SUV striking a pedestrian and the death was ruled a homicide.</p> <p>On Thursday, 34-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jeromy-ellis/">Jeromy Ellis</a> was fatally shot in the head near East 81st Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue about 2:05 a.m., authorities said. Ellis, of the 7600 block of South Drexel Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.</p> <p>On Wednesday, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/miata-phelan/">Miata Phelan</a> fatally stabbed her boyfriend, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/larry-martin/">Larry Martin</a>, about 6:40 p.m. inside his home in the 6800 block of South Talman Avenue in the Chicago Lawn community, authorities said.</p> <p>Martin's family said his <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/01/boy-8-tries-to-save-father-fatally-stabbed-in-chicago-lawn-home/">8-year-old son tried to save his father by applying pressure to the stab wound with a towel</a>. Martin, 28, died about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.</p> <p>Prosecutors said Phelan, who is seven months pregnant, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/03/prosecutors-miata-phelan-fatally-stabbed-larry-martin-for-not-buying-her-gifts/">became enraged when she found out Martin bought gifts for his cousin and brother during a trip to the mall</a>.</p> <p>About 4:30 p.m. Monday, 14-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/endia-martin/">Endia Martin</a> was fatally shot by another 14-year-old girl <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/04/29/endia-martin-14-fatally-shot-in-back-of-the-yards/">during a fight over a boy</a> in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard, authorities said.</p> <p>Endia, of the 5300 block of South Wallace Street, died at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital 40 minutes later, according to the medical examiner's office.</p> <p>The shooter and her uncle, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/donnell-flora/">Donnell Flora</a>, of the 8300 block of South Buffalo, were each charged with first-degree murder, authorities said. Numerous other people were charged for their role in the fight and shooting.</p> <p>The killings started when <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/crystal-caffey/">Crystal Caffey</a>, 27, allegedly fatally stabbed <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/marvin-turner/">Marvin Turner</a>, 29, about 2:30 a.m. last Monday in their home in the 4000 block of West Maypole Avenue, authorities said.</p> <p>Prosecutors claim Caffey and Turner were a couple, and she <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/04/30/police-crystal-caffey-fatally-stabbed-boyfriend-marvin-turner-during-argument-about-money/">stabbed him during a fight over missing money after a card game at their West Garfield Park home</a>.</p> <p>Additionally, 45-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/john-j-myles/">John J. Miles</a> died last Tuesday from injuries suffered when he was shot multiple times about 11:30 a.m. April 19 outside his home in the 1700 block of West Rosehill Drive, authorities said.</p> <p>Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 116 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including five people killed by police.</p> <p>Additionally, the state’s attorney’s office filed first-degree murder charges <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/03/16/10-million-bond-for-woman-charged-with-murder-in-crash-that-killed-off-duty-cop/">against a speeding motorist who killed an off-duty police officer</a> while trying to flee police even though the autopsy ruled the death an accident.</p> <p>Chicago Police, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2013/12/30/homicides-why-do-chicago-police-and-the-medical-examiners-office-report-different-totals/">which counts murders different</a>, have ruled at least eight of the homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.</p> Michael LansuMon, 05 May 2014 09:26:32 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/05/week-in-review-nine-murdered-throughout-chicago/William BaileyJabari DavisJeromy EllisRickey HayesEndia MartinLarry MartinTerrance McNealAntonio MendezJohn J. MylesMarvin TurnerCrystal CaffeyDonnell FloraMiata PhelanJabari Davis found shot to death in Chatham homehttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/04/jabari-davis-found-shot-to-death-in-chatham-home/<img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2014/05/JabariDavis2.jpg" alt="Jabari Davis / Photo from Facebook" width="127" height="146" class="size-full wp-image-5691" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Jabari Davis / Photo from Facebook</p> <p>A veteran Chicago Cubs parking attendant was shot to death inside his Chatham neighborhood home on Sunday morning.</p> <p><a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jabari-davis/">Jabari Davis</a>, 29, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest at his home in the 900 block of East 81st Street about 7:15 a.m., authorities said.</p> <p>He was declared dead at the scene.<br /> <span id="more-5675"></span><br /> <iframe src="http://homicides.suntimes.com/api/v1/homicides/547.html" width="100%" height="350" frameborder=0></iframe></p> <p>ABC 7 Chicago is reporting Davis <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/chicago_news&#038;id=9526790">worked as a parking attendant for the Chicago Cubs</a>. His Facebook page indicated he attended DuSable High School.</p> <p>"We are saddened to hear about the death of Jabari Davis. Davis was a seasoned veteran of our parking operation and received numerous awards for his outstanding work over the years," according to a statement from the Chicago Cubs. "Davis took great pride in his work and was always eager to help Cubs fans, as well as his fellow colleagues. He will certainly be missed by many. We extend our deepest sympathy to the Davis family during this difficult time."</p> <p>Nobody has been charged for the killing.</p> <p>Area South detectives are investigating.</p> Michael LansuSun, 04 May 2014 20:00:04 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2014/05/04/jabari-davis-found-shot-to-death-in-chatham-home/Jabari Davis