Louis Wherry | Homicide Watch Chicago

ONE YEAR LATER: A friend remembers Louis Wherry on the anniversary of his murder

Michael Lansu — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 13:35:19 -0500

Louis Wherry / Photo from DNAinfo Chicago

BY TINA GASSETT

[Editors Note: Louis C. Wherry was fatally shot Oct. 4, 2013 in the Austin community. Friend Tina Gassett wrote the following memorial for the one year anniversary of his death.]

Louis C. Wherry was by far one of the most wonderful people who ever came into my life.

There is not one word I can use to describe him. He was funny, hard working, a devoted father, the best friend a girl could have, kind-hearted, loyal, trustworthy and driven.

When I met Louis he was a truck driver who delivered to my place of work in Kentucky.

He made regular deliveries over the years to the plant where I worked, and he developed a friendship with the teams working in the receiving department -- eventually buying them lunch for unloading the trucks.

I remember one time he bought my crew Portillo's Italian Beef from Chicago. It was the first time any of us had Italian beef, and Louis brought so much that we ate it for days.

Before Louis left the plant he would often shake the hand of the person who handed him the paperwork and say "thank you." He left a lasting impression on all the workers he came in contact with and everyone was glad to see him return.

I became close friends with Louis in 2011. We had talked about wanting to start his own trucking company -- and I knew he was intelligent and had what it took to create a successful company.

Louis was really good at multitasking, and would calmly drive from Chicago, be in touch with drivers and deal with any problems that arose.

Even though he was the "boss" he treated his drivers like they were his brothers. If there were shortages on his driver's paychecks, he would give them the money to make up the difference. He always tried to do what was right.

Louis' eyes lit up every time he talked about starting his own company, and when he finally started the business he worked day and night to get it off the ground.

Louis was about to achieve his dream, and others hoped to achieve their dreams through the success of his business. I hoped to retire early from my current job, and he hoped to help me make that happen. Others dreamed of just getting a job.

Louis worked a lot -- too much if you ask me. He hoped that once his businesses started to hold its own he could get off the road and spend more time living a normal life. He said he wanted to make it up to his kids for all of the important times in their life he missed because he was on the road.

He often told me, "I want to get my kids up and grown, then I am going to live for me."

Louis was about to achieve his goal and had drivers ready for the Nov. 1, 2013, launch of his new business, Wherry Transportation Services. He was fatally shot Oct. 4, 2013, in Austin community.

Family told DNAinfo Chicago he was shot trying to defend his son against a neighborhood bully.

He was so selfless that he wanted to help make others' dreams come true when the business got off the ground, not just his own. He was unique. I have yet to meet someone as selfless and loyal as him.

He was only 36 years old, but he seemed so much more mature than most 36 year olds. He is the only man I have ever met who cared as much about my happiness as his own.

Louis had interests beyond just starting his business, and he liked a good meal. I often fixed BBQ baby back ribs for him because he loved the way I fixed them. He also loved lemonade. He drank more lemonade than anyone I knew. Now, any time I see a lemon or lemonade I think of him.

In 2013, Louis came to Russell Springs, Ky. to make a delivery the day after his birthday. I fixed him ribs, and he requested banana pudding for dessert. He was so thankful for the meal that he didn't ask for a birthday gift. I will never forget that.

Like me, Louis loved music. We would often quiz each other about who signs songs. We both have competitive personalities, so neither of us wanted to be wrong and would laugh at each other if one of us got the artist wrong.

Photo from DNAinfo Chicago

Louis had a great sense of humor, and if you heard him laugh then you would start laughing too. He had an infectious personality.

When he was with you, he always made sure you were taken care of. If you needed anything at all he made sure you had it. He was a true gem. He was so loving and caring. He was a big guy with an even bigger heart.

His death is such a major loss for me. He meant so much to me and coming to Chicago doesn't feel right without him taking me to Leona's for Italian or brining me Uncle Remus' chicken when I didn't feel like going out.

He was a great friend to me who I will never forget and will love forever.

When God made Louis, he made his very best.

They don't make them like Louis anymore. He lived his life as an example of what a true man should be. I want him to never be forgotten and to have his memory honored because he was a wonderful human being.

4 dead, 12 wounded during weekend violence

Sun-Times Media Wire — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 10:55:15 -0500

Four men are dead and at least 12 others have been wounded in violence across the city since Friday afternoon.

Police are conducting a homicide investigation after a 19-year-old man was found with at least one stab wound in an alley in the 7600 block of South Carpenter Street about 7:30 a.m. Sunday in the Far South Side Roseland neighborhood.

Jamal Harmon, of the 6700 block of South Parnell Avenue, suffered a laceration to his throat and was pronounced dead on the scene a few minutes after he was found, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Two men were standing outside near East 110th Street and South Vernon Avenue when they were shot by someone in a dark-colored SUV about 10:25 p.m. Saturday in the Far South Side Roseland neighborhood.

Arlanders Watkins, 46, was shot in the head and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 11:09 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

The other man, 21, was shot in the neck and taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Earlier Saturday, one man was killed and another was wounded when shots were fired in West Pullman, also on the Far South Side.

The two men, both 19, were in the 11700 block of South Morgan Street when a shooter fired upon them about 2:20 p.m., authorities said.

Cory Atwater, who lived on the same block where he was shot, was shot in the head and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died about an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The other man was shot in the foot, according to police, who said the injury was not life-threatening.

The weekend’s first homicide occurred Friday evening on the West Side, when 36-year-old Louis Wherry was shot to death following an argument with another man in the Austin neighborhood, authorities said.

Authorities said that at about 7:50 p.m. Wherry was in the 400 block of South Central Avenue arguing with his killer, who then pulled out a handgun and fired shots as Wherry tried to run away.

Wherry, who lived blocks from where he was killed, was shot in the head and abdomen. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he later died, according to the Medical Examiner’s office.

The most recent non-fatal shooting occurred in the Englewood neighborhood Saturday morning, injuring two men. The two men, ages 22 and 23, were in the 1700 block of West 64th Street when they were shot about 11:50 a.m., police said.

The 23-year-old man was shot in the chest and listed in serious condition; the 22-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to his shoulder and was listed in good condition. Both were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

Early Saturday on the West Side a 23-year-old man got into an argument about 2 a.m. with another male at an apartment party in the 3200 block of West Maypole Avenue, police said. The male shot the 23-year-old in the abdomen and buttocks. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition.

About 9:10 p.m. Friday in Englewood, a 35-year-old man was shot in abdomen and leg in the 1800 block of West 58th Street, police said. He was taken to Stroger in serious condition.

Also occurring in Englewood, about an hour earlier three men were shot in the 6900 block of Harvard Avenue, authorities said.

Police said a bullet grazed the face of a 25-year-old man; a 19-year-old who was with him was shot in the leg. Both were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The third man, 39, suffered a graze wound to the leg and taken to Stroger, police said.

The conditions of all three men had stabilized as of early Saturday, police said.

Friday evening on the Far North Side, a 15-year-old boy was shot in a Rogers Park alley near the 7400 block of North Hoyne, police said. The boy later told police he was standing in the alley when he heard gunfire and felt pain about 6:20 p.m.

The 15-year-old was taken in “stable” condition to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston with gunshot wounds to his lower back and leg, police said.

The weekend’s first shooting occurred Friday in West Garfield Park about 5:30 p.m., police said.

A 16-year-old girl was shot in the right knee and a 22-year-old man was shot in the right leg while sitting on a porch in the 3900 block of West Arthington Street, police said. Both were taken in “stable” condition to Stroger.

No one is in custody for any of the incidents as area detectives investigate.