Johnnie Ervin | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: 23 killed, including 3-year-old girl killed by her dad; elderly couple slain by son, on Father's Day

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:30:25 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Homicide Watch Chicago

Sun-Times file photo by Ashlee Rezin

The victims ranged in age from 3 years old to 78. Several of them were teenagers, while three of them were in their 60s or older. Six of them died on Father's Day, including the toddler who was allegedly beaten to death by her father; and an elderly couple allegedly beaten to death by their sons.

And as Chicago's homicide total hit 300 for the year with the final murder of the week, there were fatal shootings on the South, Southwest and West sides, and even downtown in the Streeterville neighborhood.

Father's Day was especially bloody.

It started with the killing of a 3-year-old Jazebel Aleman early Sunday in her Little Village neighborhood home on the Southwest Side.

Two days later, her father, 26-year-old Eduardo Aleman, was charged with first-degree murder, according to Chicago Police and Cook County prosecutors.

Officers responded about 1:10 a.m. to reports of the toddler not breathing in an apartment in the 2500 block of South Homan, police said. Jazebel was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Sunday found she died of multiple injuries suffered in an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Eduardo Aleman was ordered held without bond Tuesday at a hearing in which prosecutors claim he beat the girl to death with a belt because she would not eat her dinner.

At almost the same time on the West Side, a man stabbed his elderly parents to death early Sunday in their Austin neighborhood home, according to police and prosecutors.

Dexter Barnes, 47, faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his parents — 69-year-old Shirley Ervin and 67-year-old Johnnie Ervin, authorities said.

About 1:10 a.m. Sunday morning, one of the couple’s three sons returned home in the 1400 block of North LeClaire and found his parents with multiple stab wounds, authorities said. He then called police.

While police were investigating, Barnes returned to the home where he also lived, and was identified as the attacker, police said. He was ordered held without bond after prosecutors a long history of violence-related arrests, including at least twice when he was charged with battering his mother.

Also Sunday:

A teenage boy was killed Sunday evening in a Lawndale neighborhood drive-by shooting on the West Side in the city's 300th homicide of the year, according to Chicago Sun-Times statistics. Jaquarius Davis, 16, was standing outside at 7:23 p.m. when a red car drove up in the 1200 block of South Avers and someone inside fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Davis was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 30 minutes later. He lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting.
A teenage girl died Sunday afternoon, more than 12 hours after she and a man were shot in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side. Tiara Viramontes, 17, and the 30-year-old man were in the back of a building at 4:48 a.m. in the 3500 block of West Huron when someone opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Viramontes was shot in the back of the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said. She lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting. The man suffered a gunshot wound to the upper leg and was in critical condition.
A 27-year-old man was killed in a road-rage shooting Sunday afternoon in the South Side Chatham neighborhood. Christian Kihal Fulgham was traveling in a vehicle in the 600 block of East 82nd Street about 3:45 p.m. when someone in another vehicle took out a gun and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Fulgham suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died less than an hour later. He lived in the South Side Avalon Park neighborhood. A person who was taken into custody after the shooting was later released without being charged.
A 25-year-old woman was shot to death early Sunday in the Gold Coast neighborhood downtown. Raven Lemons was standing on the street with an acquaintance about 2:40 a.m. in the 500 block of East Ohio when someone fired shots, striking her in the head, according to police. Lemons was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she died at 3:13 a.m. Friends said she was out celebrating her birthday when she was killed.

Earlier last week:

A man was killed Saturday evening in a Back of the Yards neighborhood shooting on the South Side. Dario Balderrama, 32, had just parked his car and was crossing the street in the 4800 block of South Racine at 6:24 p.m. when a dark vehicle approached and two people got out and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Balderrama, who lived in the same neighborhood, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
A man was killed in a shooting that left two other people wounded Friday night in Englewood. About 11:45 p.m., the three victims were standing in the front yard of a home in the 5900 block of South Union when three gunmen walked up and opened fire, according to police.
Nicholas Smith, 25, was shot repeatedly and died at the scene at 11:54 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He lived in the South Side Auburn Gresham neighborhood. A 23-year-old man shot in the chest was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital; and a 29-year-old man shot in the right leg was taken to St. Bernard Hospital. His condition was stabilized.
An 18-year-old man was killed Friday afternoon in a Park Manor neighborhood drive-by shooting on the South Side. About 3:15 p.m., Sherrod Rhyme was standing outside in the 7000 block of South State when a dark-colored vehicle pulled up and a gunman got out to shoot Rhyme in the head, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died three hours later. Rhyme lived in the Calumet Heights neighborhood.
One man was killed and another seriously wounded Friday afternoon in a South Side Chatham neighborhood shooting. About 12:50 p.m., the men, ages 26 and 21, were in front of an apartment building in the 8000 block of South Ellis when people walked up, fired shots and ran away, according to police. The older man was shot in the chest and was taken to Jackson Park Hospital, where he died at 1:40 p.m. The medical examiner’s office identified him as Deshawn Boswell of the South Shore neighborhood. The 21-year-old was shot in the legs and wrist, and was taken to Christ Medical Center in serious condition.
A 17-year-old boy was killed in an Austin shooting late Thursday. About 11:15 p.m., officers found Ahmad Smith on a sidewalk in the 5900 block of West Thomas, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He had been shot in the “buttocks area” and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Smith lived in the same neighborhood.
A 78-year-old great-grandfather shot and killed Thursday evening while walking home from a store in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side was not the intended target, according to police. About 4:45 p.m., Gene Gordon was at the corner of 68th and Hermitage when a group of males in a light-colored car pulled up and someone inside fired shots, hitting him in the head, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Gordon was taken in to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died an hour later. The shooting happened a few blocks east of his home as he returned from a store on Ashland Avenue.
A man was shot to death early Wednesday outside a church in Woodlawn. Officers responding to reports of a man down about 3:30 a.m. in the 6400 block of South Maryland found Charles Irving Smith Jr., 45, lying on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds to the head and side, according to police. He was dead at the scene. The body was slumped against a fence outside the Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer.
A man was found shot to death Tuesday night in a Kenwood neighborhood building on the South Side. Deandre Smith, 28, was found unresponsive at 6:37 p.m. in a building in the 5000 block of South Drexel, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Smith, who lived in the University Village neighborhood, had suffered gunshot wounds to his head and side, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 21-year-old man was shot to death Tuesday afternoon in Austin. About 4:40 p.m., Jesus Menviola was a passenger in a car in the 1800 block of North Luna when he got into an argument with someone who was on foot, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. That person took out a weapon and fired shots, striking Menviola in the head, authorities said. Menviola, who lived in Logan Square, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 32-year-old man was killed in a shooting Tuesday afternoon in the Southwest Side Ashburn neighborhood. Christopher Johnson was inside a vehicle at 2:18 p.m. in the 8100 block of South Kedzie when he was shot multiple times, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Johnson was taken to Christ Medical Center, where he died less than an hour later. He lived in Englewood.
A 15-year-old boy was shot to death late Monday in the West Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side. About 10:30 p.m., a white car was trailing a red SUV in the 5900 block of South Pulaski when someone in the car fired shots, according to police. The teenager, Julio Ceasar Garcia-Lara, was sitting in the back seat of the SUV and was struck in the back and head. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He lived in the West Elsdon neighborhood on the Southwest Side.
A man was killed Monday night in a West Garfield Park neighborhood shooting. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 10:15 p.m. found 39-year-old Clancy Beasley shot multiple times in a vehicle in the 4700 block of West Superior, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He had suffered gunshot wounds to his head, back and arm; and was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, where he was pronounced dead. Beasley lived in west suburban Bellwood.
A man shot and killed a person who allegedly wounded him during an attempted robbery Monday night in Gresham. The 39-year-old man was in the 8300 block of South Elizabeth at 8:15 p.m. when he was approached by Dana Matthews, 18, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Matthews shot the older man in the abdomen, but the older man returned fire, striking the alleged robber twice in the legs and twice in the neck, police said. Matthews, who lived in Woodlawn, was taken to Christ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The older man was also taken to Christ, where he was listed in serious condition, police said.
A man and a 17-year-old boy were killed in a shooting that also left another teen wounded Monday in Lawndale. Bruce Crosby, 20; and a 17-year-old girl were sitting in a vehicle about 2:20 p.m. in the 1500 block of South Kildare when a dark SUV pulled up and someone inside fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
Crosby, who lived in the same neighborhood, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at 3:21 p.m. The girl was shot in the abdomen and was also taken to Mount Sinai in serious condition.

A 17-year-old boy, identified as Demonis Johnson, was standing on the sidewalk when the shooting occurred and was also shot in the head, authorities said. He was taken to Mount Sinai, where he was pronounced dead at 11:57 a.m. June 13. Johnson lived about a block away from the shooting. A police source said investigators do not believe he was an intended target of the shooting.
A man shot to death Monday morning in Park Manor was identified as 21-year-old Emon S. Oneal. He was found at 9:13 a.m. in an alley in the 6800 block of South Wabash, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds. He lived in the South Side Oakland neighborhood.

Man charged with killing elderly parents, Shirley and Johnnie Ervin, had history of violence against the couple

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 09:56:33 -0500

By ANDY GRIMM
Chicago Sun-Times

Dexter Barnes | Chicago Police

A 47-year-old man stabbed his parents--Shirley Ervin and Johnnie Ervin--to death inside the couple’s home in the Austin neighborhood over the weekend, Cook County prosecutors said in court Tuesday.

Around 1 a.m. Sunday, Dexter Barnes brushed past his brother and another witness in the gangway of the two-flat where his 69-year-old mother and 73-year-old father lived in the 1400 block of North Leclaire Avenue.

When the brother went inside, he found the couples’ bodies lying on the kitchen floor, a dozen knives scattered beside them, alongside a bloody mop and paper towels, Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini said.

Johnnie Ervin had been stabbed 11 times, and his intestines hung from his sides; a “portion” of his intestines were found in the sink, Santini said.

“I think the unimaginable facts speak for themselves,” Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. said at the bond hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse. “You will be held, no bond.”

The brother ran outside after taking in the gruesome scene, alerting the other witness, and they saw Barnes running from the front door of the house, prosecutors said.

Police arrested Barnes, noting he had blood on his clothing and cuts on his hands, prosecutors said. He was allegedly carrying his father’s wallet.

Barnes, who appeared in court wearing a torn, disposable jail jumpsuit over tan slacks, was silent as Santini went over the evidence against him.

Barnes first told police he’d cut himself during a fight with his brother, then said he’d been injured defending himself from an “attack from his elderly parents,” Santini said.

Johnnie Ervin, who used a walker, suffered wounds to his sides, arms, back and chin, as well as the deep punctures to his abdomen, Santini said. Shirley Ervin, who suffered from dementia, had a puncture wound to the chest, and was found partially undressed.

In 2006, Barnes pleaded guilty to domestic battery charges in which his mother was a victim. In 2014, he was charged in another domestic battery of his mother at his parents’ apartment.

A police report states Barnes “slammed a door on the victim’s arm.” Barnes pleaded guilty and an order of protection barred him from contact with Shirley Ervin, or from being at his parents’ apartment. The order expired in November.

Santini said Barnes lived with his parents, but Barnes’ attorney, Assistant Public Defender Andrea Webber, said Barnes lived with his wife and son. Barnes, she said, collects Social Security income because of a seizure disorder.

Barnes also was on probation for aggravated battery, stemming from a 2015 incident in which he spit on a nurse who had treated him for an allergic reaction to a bee sting, Santini said.

He also has a history of felony arrests, Santini said.

Man charged with fatally stabbing his elderly parents, Shirley and Johnnie Ervin, inside their Austin home

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 13:17:48 -0500

By ASHLEE REZIN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Dexter Barnes | Chicago Police

A man has been charged with stabbing his elderly parents—Shirley Ervin and Johnnie Ervin—to death early on Father's Day in their Austin neighborhood home on the West Side.

Dexter Barnes, 47, faces two felony counts of first-degree murder, according to Chicago Police. A police source said the victims were his parents.

“They didn’t bother no one,” said a neighbor, one of more than a dozen people gathered on the block outside the crime scene early Sunday.

About 1:10 a.m. Sunday morning, one of the couple’s three sons returned home to the 1400 block of North LeClaire and found his parents with multiple stab wounds to their bodies, authorities said. He then called police.

His parents—69-year-old Shirley Ervin and 67-year-old Johnnie Ervin—were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Autopsies Monday found both died of multiple sharp force injuries, and their deaths were ruled homicides.

Chicago Police investigate at a home in the 1400 block of North Leclaire in Austin, where a son found his parents stabbed to death early Sunday. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Sometime after the stabbing, Barnes returned to the home, where he also lived, and was subsequently identified as the attacker, police said.

Barnes was scheduled to appear in bond court Tuesday.

“Everyone called them mom and pops,” the 57-year-old neighbor said of the couple. She has lived a few houses away from the couple for more than 30 years and asked not to be identified.

“I’m just shocked,” she said. “I can’t believe it because they don’t do anything. He was taking care of his wife—she was sickly. They stayed in the house and didn’t bother anybody.”

Two people hug outside in the 1400 block of North Leclaire in Austin, where a son found his parents stabbed to death inside their home early Sunday. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

The woman said she was asleep when she was woken up by her nephew, who told her about the murders. Outside the crime scene early Sunday, she identified the victims’ son, who approached and gave her a tight, emotional hug.

She said the 69-year-old woman would walk up the street and visit before she got sick. After her diagnosis, the neighbor said she would visit the victims’ home a couple of days every month.

“She was like everybody’s mom,” said the neighbor, adding that her nephews would sometimes go to barbecues with the victims’ sons.

“Everybody knew both of them,” she said. “They were good neighbors. They tried to help everybody in any way they could.”