WEEK IN REVIEW: Four men shot dead in citywide shootings

Michael Lansu — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 08:58:35 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Four men were fatally shot throughout Chicago last week -- including a security guard for local rapper Twista.

The week began with a 126-hour stretch without a homicide, the longest murder-free stretch of 2014, and ended with four killings since late Thursday.

The most recent killing happened when 32-year-old Michael Redmond was shot multiple times while driving in the 200 block of North Latrobe Avenue about 7:40 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

After being shot, Redmond drove away and crashed into several parked cars in the 5500 block of West Washington Boulevard, authorities said. Investigators found a gun inside the vehicle, police said.

Redmond, of the 6200 block of West Wabansia Avenue, died at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Armour Square community, 28-year-old Javan Boyd was driving in the 3700 block of South Princeton Avenue when a gunman approached the passenger's side and opened fire about 4 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Boyd, of the 7400 block of South Chappel Avenue, was shot in the back and legs and less than two hours later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, authorities said.

On Friday, a security guard for rapper Twista was found shot to death in a burning South Chicago area home.

Firefighters responded about 6 a.m. Friday to a blaze at a 2 1/2-story, multi-unit home in the 8300 block of South Baker Avenue and found 31-year-old Davy Easterling dead inside a bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Easterling, of the 8100 block of South Vernon Avenue, died from the gunshots and not the fire, according to the medical examiner's office, which ruled the death a homicide.

The killings started when police found Regimond Maxwell Jr. shot in a stairwell in the 0-100 block of South Mason Avenue about 10:40 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Maxwell, 23, of the 1500 block of South Harding Avenue, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was dead at the scene, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged in any of the murders.

The Cook County medical examiner's office has ruled 41 Chicago deaths in 2014 homicides -- including two people killed by police. Chicago Police, which counts murders different, has ruled at least three of those deaths involuntary manslaughter or justified self-defense.

Michael Redmond shot dead in Austin community

Michael Lansu — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 14:04:48 -0600

Michael Redmond was fatally shot while sitting in a car Saturday night in the Austin neighborhood.

Redmond, 32, was in a car in the 200 block of North Latrobe Avenue when another car pulled up and somebody inside shot him multiple times about 7:40 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

After being shot, Redmond drove away and crashed into several parked cars in the 5500 block of West Washington Boulevard, authorities said.

Officers found a handgun inside the car he was driving, police said.

Redmond, of the 6200 block of West Wabansia Avenue, was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead at 8:19 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

Michael Redmond | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Four men shot dead in citywide shootings

Michael Redmond shot dead in Austin community