Mondele O. Heard | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine dead in Chicago slayings

Michael Lansu — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 09:45:02 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

At least nine people were killed by violence last week in Chicago.

Nobody was killed in the city Tuesday through Thursday, the longest murder free stretch since early August. However, the week ended with a flurry of violence that left eight dead since Friday afternoon.

The most recent killing happened when 24-year-old Miguel Hernandez was shot while standing on a porch in the in the 8500 block of South Escanaba Avenue about 11 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Hernandez, who lived on the block, was shot in the head and right side and died at the scene, authorities said. An 18-year-old woman and 35-year-old man were also wounded but survived.

In the Chicago Lawn community, 13-year-old Demureya Macon was fatally shot in the in the 6600 block of South Talman Avenue after being questioned about his gang affiliation about 8:35 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Demureya, of the 6400 block of South Maplewood Avenue, tried to run away, but collapsed on a nearby sidewalk and died at the scene, authorities said.

In the Dunning area, police found a woman in her 30s and a young girl dead inside a home in the 3400 block of North Odell Avenue about 9 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Earlier, police in north suburban Waukegan responded to an incident involving a “suicidal man” who told officers he harmed his family and directed police to the Odell Avenue home, Chicago Police said.

Authorities have not yet released the identifies of the victims or said how they were killed.

On Saturday, 20-year-old Leroyce Noel was stabbed in what police called a domestic incident in the 6500 block of South Minerva Avenue in Woodlawn about 3 p.m., authorities said.

Noel, of the 7100 block of South Mozart Street, died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital at 4:19 p.m. Saturday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Back of the Yards neighborhood, 23-year-old Jose Rios was shot while walking in the 4500 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 6:15 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Rios, of the 4300 block of South Paulina Street, was shot multiple times and died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

On Friday, 27-year-old Malachi Baldwin was shot in the head in the 5700 block of South Aberdeen Street about 10:15 p.m., authorities said.

Baldwin, of the 5600 block of South Elizabeth Street, died at the scene, authorities said. Two men, 63 and 25, were wounded but survived, police said.

In the West Englewood neighborhood, 22-year-old Deandre Ellis was shot in the chest in a barbershop in the 1900 block of West 59th Street about 2 p.m., authorities said.

Ellis, 22, of the 5700 block of South Laflin Street, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn about an hour later, authorities said. Two men, 31 and 44, were also wounded but survived, police said.

The killings started last Monday when Mondele O. Heard was shot in the head in the 7800 block of South Homan Avenue 8:40 p.m., authorities said.

Heard, 20, of the 7800 block of South Sawyer Avenue, later died at Christ Medical Center, authorities said. A 23-year-old man and 24-year-old woman were wounded but survived, police said.

“[Heard] was a really peaceful guy,” said friend Julian Smith. “I can’t recall him ever getting into it with anybody. He wasn’t violent at all.”

Additionally, 34-year-old Bobby Lee Battle died Tuesday from injuries suffered when he was shot multiple times while walking in the 8200 block of South Maryland Avenue about 7 p.m. May 11, 2013, authorities said.

Last Monday, 34-year-old Richard Johnson of Riverdale died from injuries suffered when he was shot in the head early Sunday while driving in the 7700 block of South Stewart Avenue in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 319 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 12 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Friend: Aspiring singer Mondele Heard 'wouldn’t hurt a fly'

Michael Lansu — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 17:42:09 -0500

Mondele Heard / Photo from Facebook

BY KALEY FOWLER
Homicide Watch Chicago

Mondele Heard was a talented musician who loved to sing and dance, his friends said.

“He was just starting to get into rapping, but before that he loved to sing R&B and sometimes gospel,” said friend Briana Davis. “Singing was his thing. He could really sing.”

Heard's singing career came to an abrupt end Monday night when gunfire erupted in the Ashburn community.

Heard, 20, was standing with a group in the 7800 block of South Homan Avenue when a maroon car pulled up, a gunman exited and opened fire about 8:40 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Heard, of the 7800 block of South Sawyer Avenue, was shot in the head and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said. A 23-year-old woman and 24-year-old man were also wounded.

Another friend, Julian Smith, said Heard played high school football and trombone in the school's jazz band.

“[Heard] was never afraid to be himself,” Davis said. “He did what he wanted to do and he was his own person. He was very outgoing, very smart and very real.”

Friend Christian Jefferson added that Heard was as a loyal friend who “wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“He was a really peaceful guy,” Smith said. “I can’t recall him ever getting into it with anybody. He wasn’t violent at all.”

Davis said all of Heard’s friends were shocked by his death, and she believes the shooting was random.

“I know for a fact Mondele was not into gangbanging and he did not shoot guns,” Davis said. “Mondele was not a bad kid. Nobody deserves to die, especially somebody like Mondele.”

Nobody has been charged for the murder. Area South detectives are investigating.

Mondele Heard killed in Ashburn shooting

Michael Lansu — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 12:44:15 -0500

Mondele O. Heard was killed in an Ashburn neighborhood shooting that also left two other people wounded Monday night.

The three were standing outside in the 7800 block of South Homan Avenue when a maroon car pulled up, a gunman exited and opened fire about 8:40 p.m. Monday, police said.

Heard, 20, of the 7800 block of South Sawyer Avenue, was shot in the head and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said.

A 23-year-old woman was shot multiple times in the back and a 24-year-old man was shot in the left side and right hip, police said. Both were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire