Kevin Baker | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: William Paschal part of armed robbery, retaliation murder of Kevin Baker in Chicago Lawn

Michael Lansu — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:21:41 -0500

William Paschal / Photo from Chicago Police

BY ANGELIQUE WHITE
Homicide Watch Chicago

William Paschal was ordered held on a $1 million bond Tuesday for his alleged role in an armed robbery that ended in a fatal retaliation shooting last January in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, prosecutors said.

Paschal and an acquaintance are accused of fatally shooting 19-year-old college student Kevin Baker during an armed robbery in the 6200 block of South Campbell Avenue about 4:15 p.m. Jan. 16, authorities said.

Baker and his 23-year-old cousin were walking home after classes at Harold Washington College when Paschal and his acquaintance exited a maroon minivan with loaded guns, said Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini.

Paschal, 19, then took the cousins' cell phones at gunpoint, Santini said.

After being robbed, Baker and his cousin attempted to continue their walk home when the acquaintance asked, “Who he is?” then opened fire, Santini said.

Baker, who lived nearby in the 6200 block of South Maplewood Avenue, was shot five times, including at least once in the head, authorities said. Responding police officers found Baker “being held by his mother who ran to the scene after hearing the gunshots,” Santini said.

Paschal and his acquaintance, both admitted gang members, fled in the van after the shooting, Santini said. Baker died two days later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Baker, an only child, was studying to be a veterinarian, neighbor and family friend Earnestine Barnette said after the shooting.

Detectives learned Paschal sold one of the stolen cell phones to a pawnshop near South Racine Avenue and West 63rd Street, Santini said.

Overall, Chicago Police report cell phone robberies and thefts were down 28 percent compared to 2013.

After further investigation, detectives learned the robbers had made statements implying they had been involved in the shooting of a rival gang member as retaliation for the murder of a fellow gang member.

“That was an innocent kid. He didn’t have anything to do with nothing out there,” Barnette said.

Police arrested Paschal, of the 7200 block of South Artesian Avenue, on June 29 and he was charged with two counts murder and two counts of armed robber.

He appeared in court Tuesday wearing a red sweatshirt and white pants. Santini noted Paschal's "extensive juvenile background," and Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Paschal held on $1 million bond and issued a next court date of July 21.

Paschal’s attorney had asked the judge to take into consideration that he did not fire the shots that killed Baker. He noted Paschal is a high school graduate with four siblings.

After bond was set, Paschal turned around and yelled “Love ya’ll man!” to relatives.

His acquaintance has not been arrested and charged for the murder, authorities said.

-- Contributing: Tina Sfondeles

William Paschal charged with murder in Chicago Lawn shooting death of college student Kevin Baker

Michael Lansu — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 21:33:12 -0500

William Paschal / Photo from Chicago Police

William Paschal has been charged with murder in the shooting death of college student Kevin Baker in January in the Chicago Lawn community.

Paschal, 18, of the 7200 block of South Artesian Avenue, was also charged with two counts of armed robbery with a firearm, police said.

Baker, 19, was walking with his cousin in the 6200 block of South Campbell Avenue when two people got out of a van and demanded their cell phones about 4:15 p.m. Jan. 16, authorities said.

After the two handed over their phones, one of the men shot Baker in the head, authorities said. It was not immediately known if Paschal was the shooter.

Baker, of the 6200 block of South Maplewood Avenue, died two days later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Baker was on his way back from class at Harold Washington College when he was shot, said neighbor and family friend Earnestine Barnette. Baker, an only child, was studying to be a veterinarian.

“That was an innocent kid. He didn’t have anything to do with nothing out there,” she said.

Paschal is scheduled to appear in bond court Tuesday.

-- Sun-Times Media

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.

College student shot dead in Chicago Lawn cellphone robbery

Michael Lansu — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 16:24:43 -0600

BY BECKY SCHLIKERMAN
Chicago Sun-Times

A South Side college student who was shot despite handing his cellphone over to two robbers died Saturday.

Kevin Baker, 19, was pronounced dead at 5:45 a.m. Saturday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Baker, a student at Harold Washington College, was on his way back from class Thursday when the robbery and shooting happened, said neighbor and family friend Earnestine Barnette.

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.

“Whatever they asked for, he gave it to them and they still shot him,” said Barnette, 51. “It’s terrible.”

“That was an innocent kid. He didn’t have anything to do with nothing out there,” she said.

Baker, an only child, was studying to be a veterinarian.

“He had a plan for his life,” Barnette said.

He was known in the neighborhood as “the college kid that don’t hang out,” she said.

“He was real nice. He didn’t hang out in the area. He went to school and then back home,” Barnette said.

As news of Baker's death spread, many took to social media to express their condolences:

#Headlines: Chicago College Student Murdered After Robbed of Cell Phone RIP Kevin Baker Let's Pray for his family

— -VinceCharles- (@VinceCharles_84) January 22, 2014

Chicago violence: college freshman Kevin Baker killed after giving up his cellphone in a robbery. RIP & prayers to his family #Chicago #why

— Rosanna Buie (@caliro25) January 20, 2014