Jeromy Ellis | Homicide Watch Chicago

Comment of the Day: "If anybody knows anything please come forward"

Michael Lansu — Mon, 05 May 2014 16:00:43 -0500

Jeromy Ellis was fatally shot early Thursday in the Chatham neighborhood. Reader Katrina Holcomb posted this about him:

Jeromy was a good hard working man ive been with for 13yrs he wasnt perfect but I can guarantee he wasnt bothering anybody he was on his way home from work listening to his headphones. If anybody knows anything please come forward he didnt deserve this and someone needs to be brought to justice for this senseless [killing]. They never take time to put people family into consideration what if it was you or your family member. I dont know what happen but whatever it was it wasnt worth taking his life he was a very humbled person who would mind his business and never bothered anybody. If he had an altercation with someone prior to his murder he would have took a different route. I can tell you it wasnt gang related he didnt gangbang he changed his life but he would protect his self if he had to hell who wouldnt

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine murdered throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 05 May 2014 09:26:32 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were murdered last week in Chicago, and a 10th person died from injuries suffered in a mid-April shooting.

The killings included seven shooting deaths, one stabbing and one man intentionally run over by an SUV.

Four of the murders happened over the weekend, when 26 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murder happened when 41-year-old William Bailey was shot in the back in a garage in the 9200 block of South Emerald Avenue about 11:35 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

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.

In the Chatham neighborhood, 29-year-old Jabari Davis 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.

In the Austin neighborhood, 23-year-old Terrance McNeal 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.

McNeal, of the 400 block of North Leamington Avenue, was shot in the abdomen and arm and died at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said.

On Saturday, 55-year-old Rickey Hayes was fatally stabbed during a fight in the 7900 block of South Ingleside Avenue about 9:45 p.m., authorities said.

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.

In the McKinley Park neighborhood, 24-year-old Antonio Mendez 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.

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.

On Thursday, 34-year-old Jeromy Ellis 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.

On Wednesday, Miata Phelan fatally stabbed her boyfriend, Larry Martin, about 6:40 p.m. inside his home in the 6800 block of South Talman Avenue in the Chicago Lawn community, authorities said.

Martin's family said his 8-year-old son tried to save his father by applying pressure to the stab wound with a towel. Martin, 28, died about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Prosecutors said Phelan, who is seven months pregnant, became enraged when she found out Martin bought gifts for his cousin and brother during a trip to the mall.

About 4:30 p.m. Monday, 14-year-old Endia Martin was fatally shot by another 14-year-old girl during a fight over a boy in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard, authorities said.

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.

The shooter and her uncle, Donnell Flora, 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.

The killings started when Crystal Caffey, 27, allegedly fatally stabbed Marvin Turner, 29, about 2:30 a.m. last Monday in their home in the 4000 block of West Maypole Avenue, authorities said.

Prosecutors claim Caffey and Turner were a couple, and she stabbed him during a fight over missing money after a card game at their West Garfield Park home.

Additionally, 45-year-old John J. Miles 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.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 116 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including five people killed by police.

Additionally, the state’s attorney’s office filed first-degree murder charges against a speeding motorist who killed an off-duty police officer while trying to flee police even though the autopsy ruled the death an accident.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different, have ruled at least eight of the homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Fiance: Jeromy Ellis 'worked hard to support me and my daughter'

Emily Brosious — Mon, 05 May 2014 08:48:09 -0500

Jeromy Ellis/ Family Photo

BY EMILY BROSIOUS
Homicide Watch Chicago

Jeromy Ellis worked into the early morning to support his family, his fiance said.

The 34-year-old was on his way home from his job as a cook when he was shot to death May 1 in the Chatham neighborhood, said Katrina Holcomb, Ellis' fiance.

Police responded about 2:05 a.m. May 1 to a call of shots fired near East 81st Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue and found Ellis lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the head, authorities said.

Ellis and Holcomb had been a couple for 13 years, and Ellis raised Holcomb’s daughter as his own, she said.

“He was a good man -- a family man,” Holcomb said. “He worked hard to support me and my daughter.”

Holcomb said she usually picked Ellis up from work, but not last Thursday. Instead, Ellis was shot while walking from the bus stop -- probably listening to music on his headphones.

Ellis, of the 7600 block of South Drexel Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

“It’s weighing heavy on me,” Holcomb said. “I just keep thinking if he had called me to pick him up this wouldn’t have happened.”

Holcomb said Ellis was not a gang member and did not start trouble. He enjoyed spending free time relaxing at home and playing basketball video games on Xbox.

Ellis' family wants justice for this senseless death, Holcomb said.

“He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Holcomb said. “They got the wrong guy. He didn’t deserve this.”

Nobody has been charged for the murder. Holcomb is asking anyone with information about this murder to come forward.

Area South detectives are investigating.

Jeromy Ellis fatally shot on Chatham street

Michael Lansu — Thu, 01 May 2014 20:37:54 -0500

Jeromy Ellis was shot dead in the Chatham neighborhood early Thursday.

Police responded about 2:05 a.m. to a call of shots fired near East 81st Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue and found Ellis lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the head, authorities said.

Ellis, 34, of the 7600 block of South Drexel Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating the shooting as gang related.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire