John Wallace | Homicide Watch Chicago

Two men sentenced to prison for killing of John Wallace in 2013 in Englewood; third suspect acquitted

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 09:50:35 -0500

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Victor Willis | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

Two men have been sentenced to a total of 125 years in prison for the murder of John Wallace in the Englewood neighborhood over Labor Day weekend in 2013.

Victor Willis, 25; and his cousin Jamal Davis, 24, were previously convicted of the shooting death of 25-year-old John Wallace, according to a statement from the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. A third defendant, Charles McKinney, was acquitted.

Davis had an argument with someone during the last week of August in 2013, according to prosecutors.

On Sept. 1, 2013, Davis went to that person’s home in the 6400 block of South Morgan, where a group had gathered to celebrate Labor Day weekend, prosecutors said.

Jamal Davis | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

After a short period of time, Davis left the home, but threatened to bring several others back with him to “shoot the place up,” prosecutors said.

About half an hour later, Davis returned with Willis and a McKinney, prosecutors said.

Willis, armed with a gun with an extended clip, stormed up the porch, banged on the door and demanded to know where the person Davis had argued with was, prosecutors said.

Wallace, who was visiting at the home, opened the door and immediately closed it when he saw Willis armed with a gun.

Willis opened the door and began shooting at Wallace as he ran down the basement stairs, prosecutors said. Wallace was shot multiple times and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Willis and McKinney returned to the vehicle with Davis and they fled the scene, prosecutors said.

Willis, of the 5700 block of South Michigan Avenue, was sentenced to 75 years in prison, according to the state’s attorney’s office. Davis, of the 6700 block of South Langley, was sentenced to 50 years.

Comment of the Day: "Senseless, a man lost his life over nothing!"

Michael Lansu — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:20:42 -0600

John Wallace was fatally shot in September on an Englewood porch. Last week, Jamal Davis was the third man charged in Wallace's murder. Reader ChiCityGirl1 posted this about the killing:

Senseless, a man lost his life over nothing!

Third man charged in September 2013 murder of John Wallace in Englewood home

Michael Lansu — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 16:31:01 -0600

Jamal Davis / Photo from Chicago Police

BY WILL HAGER
Homicide Watch Chicago

A third man has been charged with murder for his alleged involvement in the slaying of John Wallace last September on an Englewood porch.

Jamal Davis, 22, of the 6700 block of South Langley Avenue, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, authorities said. He was also wanted on a warrant.

Davis is accused of being part of a group that allegedly gunned down 25-year-old John Wallace.

Davis allegedly slapped a man’s girlfriend a week before the murder, said Assistant State’s Attorney Anastasia Harper. That man told Davis he was no longer allowed at his house, but Davis threatened he would be back “with help and his gun.”

On Sept. 1, 2013, Davis and his girlfriend returned to the house in the 6400 block of South Morgan Street and taunted the man about the previous argument and slap, Harper said. Davis left in a van with his girlfriend, but returned a few minutes later with Charles McKinney and Victor Willis, who each had a handgun.

Willis knocked on the door and Wallace, who was not involved in the earlier disputes Davis, answered the door, authorities said.

Victor Willis / Photo from Chicago Police

Wallace refused to tell Willis the location of the man in the earlier dispute with Davis, and Willis responded by opening fire into the building -- striking Wallace five times, prosecutors said.

Davis, Willis and McKinney all fled in the van, Harper said.

Wallace was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead a few minutes later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Davis was arrested on warrant Feb. 4 and identified by witnesses in a lineup.

Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. held Davis on $100,000 bond and ordered he must be on electronic monitoring if he posts the required 10 percent.

Charles McKinney / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

Davis was sentenced to a year in prison in 2013 for possession of a controlled substance and got two years probation in 2009 for possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Davis earned his G.E.D. from Kennedy King College and has one child, according to his public defender.

Willis, 22, of the 5700 block of South Michigan Avenue, is being held without bond. McKinney, 26, of the 800 block of East 65th Street, is being held on $2 million bond.

Second man charged in Englewood porch slaying

John Carpenter — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 23:17:03 -0500

A second man has been charged with murder for his role in a shooting that killed a man on an Englewood porch earlier this month.
Charles McKinney, 26, is charged with first-degree murder for the Sept. 1 attack that killed 25-year-old John Wallace, authorities said.
McKinney allegedly argued with a man in the 6400 block of South Morgan Street, then returned with another person and shots were fired, police said.
Prosecutors previously said Victor Willis -- who has also been charged with murder in connection with the attack -- went to the porch after his acquaintance taunted a man there and was told to leave by a resident.
Wallace, who had not been involved in the earlier dispute on the porch, answered the door and refused to say where the other man was now. Willis responded by opening fire into the building -- striking Wallace five times.
Wallace was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead a few minutes later, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Witnesses identified Willis as the shooter, prosecutors said.
McKinney, of the 800 block of East 65th Street, will appear for a bond hearing Thursday, police said.
Willis, of the 5700 block of South Michigan Avenue, was ordered held without bond and will next appear in court Oct. 2.
- Sun-Times Media Wire

No bond for man charged with Englewood porch slaying

John Carpenter — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 15:34:00 -0500

Bond was denied Friday for a Washington Park man charged with fatally shooting a man after a fight on an Englewood porch last week.
Victor Willis, 22, allegedly shot and killed 25-year-old John Wallace Sept. 1, authorities said.
Prior to the shooting, an acquaintance of Willis’ had approached a man sitting on a porch in the 6400 block of South Morgan Street and began taunting him about a girl, according to court documents. Another resident told everyone to leave the porch.
The taunter returned to the home a few minutes later with Willis, prosecutors said. Wallace, who had not been involved in the earlier dispute on the porch, answered the door and refused to say where the other man was now. Willis responded by opening fire into the building -- striking Wallace five times.
Wallace was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead a few minutes later, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Witnesses identified Willis as the shooter, prosecutors said. Willis, of the 5700 block of South Michigan Avenue, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder. Judge Israel Desierto ordered Willis held without bail Friday.
The man who instigated the fight and returned with Willis has not yet been charged, prosecutors said.
- Sun-Times Media Wire

Washington Park man charged with slaying last week on Englewood porch

John Carpenter — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 10:30:53 -0500

A Washington Park man has been charged with shooting a man to death on an Englewood porch last week.

Victor Willis, 22, allegedly shot and killed 25-year-old John Wallace during an argument Sept. 1 in the 6400 block of South Morgan Street, police said.

The men argued on a porch about 11:30 p.m. and Willis left and said, “I’ll be back with my gun,” according to police.

A short time later, he allegedly returned and shot Wallace several times, police said.

Wallace was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead at 12:20 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. Willis, of the 5700 block of South Michigan Avenue, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder, police said. He is expected to appear in bond court Friday.

- Sun-Times Media Wire

Eight dead, at least 25 wounded in holiday weekend gun violence

John Carpenter — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 07:39:35 -0500

Eight people were killed and at least 25 other people were wounded in shootings across the city since Friday night.

The most recent fatal shooting happened about 8 p.m. Monday in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 5700 block of South Princeton Avenue. There they found 27-year-old Fredrick Brown after he had been shot multiple times in an alley, authorities said. Brown, of the 6300 block of South King Drive, was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County where died at 8:30 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Several hours earlier a 16-year-old boy was shot to death in the Roseland neighborhood.

Maurice Knowles and another man were at the boy’s house in the 10500 block of South LaSalle Street when shots were fired about 5:30 p.m., authorities said.

The teen was shot in the chest and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 7:22 p.m. authorities said. A bullet grazed the other man who was with Knowles at the time. The man, believed to be in his 20s, declined medical attention and refused to cooperate with investigators, police said.

Earlier Monday afternoon, 21-year-old Jerome Wood was fatally shot in the South Side Woodlawn neighborhood, less than half an hour before another man was wounded by gunfire about half a mile away.

Wood, of the 5200 block of South Wood Street, was shot in the head about 2:10 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene, in the 6600 block of South Rhodes Avenue, at 2:27 p.m., authorities said.

The burst of Labor Day violence in the Woodlawn neighborhood left residents rattled.

“I was in the house asleep when I heard gunshots. It was a lot of them, like maybe 14,” said Keyshia Wilson, 25, who has lived on the block where the man was killed for eight years.

“I came out and walked over and saw the man laying in the yard with a hole in his head, and blood coming out of everywhere,” she said Sunday afternoon. “I can’t believe this happened a couple of doors down. I’m still in shock. I can’t believe it.”

David Westin, 33, who just moved to the block three months ago, lives directly across from the home where the man was killed.

“My family was inside just trying to enjoy our Labor Day when we heard the gunfire,” Westin said. “I told the kids to duck down on the floor. And a half hour later, I came out and saw the police. I just moved here and I’m about to move again. It’s scary. Thank goodness there were no kids playing outside. I don’t even think I want to let my kids go out anymore.”

After that killing, a man was shot twice in the abdomen about 2:35 p.m. in the 6300 block of South King Drive, police said. His age was not immediately known. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, police said.

Employees at a McDonald’s at 6355 S. King Drive said an altercation between a group of young men began inside the restaurant, eventually spilling outside, before the man was shot.

“This happens quite a bit around here. You don’t feel safe, and it feels like it isn’t going to get any better,” said a bystander, India Spears, 24, of Parkway Gardens, a low-income housing development across the street.

Both shootings were down the street from the New Beginnings Church, 6620 S. King Dr. Pastor Corey Brooks was just leaving his church when shooting broke out.

“I was riding home, and police cars just started coming from everywhere going to 66th and Rhodes. I followed, and that’s when I witnessed what was going on,” Brooks said. “When I got there, I was like, ‘I know all these kids,’ so I got out and I walked from 66th and Rhodes back to Parkway Gardens with them. And as we’re walking and talking, somebody else got shot over here, a second one. Not a good day.”

About 11:30 p.m. Sunday, John Wallace, 25, was killed in the Englewood neighborhood. He was shot in the back during an argument about 11:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of South Morgan, authorities said.

Ramaine Hill, 22, died Sunday night, a day after he was shot in the Old Town neighborhood. He was in the 1200 block of North Orleans Street about 1:20 p.m. Saturday when an armed man shot him in the head and fled east on foot, authorities said. Hill, of the 700 block of West Blackhawk Street, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died at 10:08 p.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Carl Pate, 56, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in the 12200 block of South Aberdeen Street at 7:41 a.m. Sunday in his West Pullman neighborhood home on the Far South Side. Pate had been shot in the abdomen at 4:40 a.m. last Monday at his home, police said. Both shootings were thought to be related to narcotics.

About 2:45 a.m. Saturday, gunfire killed a 21-year-old man and wounded two others at a party in a Bridgeport apartment on the South Side, police said. Vidal Martinez, 20, of the 1300 block of South 58th Street in Cicero, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and two counts of aggravated battery/discharge of a firearm in connection with the Bridgeport shootings, police said.

Daniel Ortiz, 21, of Monee, was shot in the chest and died at the scene, authorities said. A 22-year-old man was shot in the head and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, police said. The third man, who is 25, was found with a gunshot wound to the leg in a vehicle that crashed in the 4300 block of South Wentworth a short time later, police said. He was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and released.

On Saturday morning, John Atkins, 33, was shot multiple times and died in the Morgan Park neighborhood, police said. Atkins was found at 11:19 a.m. in a gangway at the rear of a building in the 11700 block of South Hale, police said.

In addition to those wounded and killed, at least 21 additional people have been injured in shootings since Friday night.

In the most recent nonfatal shooting a 20-year-old man was critically wounded in the Albany Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

The man was in the 4700 block of North Central Park Avenue when he was shot once in the side about 2 a.m., police said. The man was in critical condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, police said.

-- Sun-Times, Sun-Times Media Wire

Man shot dead in Englewood

Jordan Owen — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 06:06:22 -0500

A man was killed in a shooting Sunday night in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

John Wallace, 25, was shot in the back during an argument about 11:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of South Morgan Street, police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said.

Wallace was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead at 12:20 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

No one is in custody as Area South detectives investigate.