Ronald Hayes | Homicide Watch Chicago

PHOTO ESSAY: Winter memorials mark the deaths of Chicago murder victims

Chase DiFeliciantonio — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:30:44 -0500

BY CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO
Homicide Watch Chicago

A balloon sways in the wind. An empty liquor bottle rests on the pavement. Flowers wilt in the January snow. These are the memorials for some of Chicago's murder victims.

The memorials are temporary places where grieving family and friends can share words and photos to celebrate the victim's life.

Some memorials are erected at the scene of a crime, while others are built outside the victim's home, but all are reminders of lives taken by violence.

Alex Anderson

Tramian Barnes allegedly fatally shot 19-year-old Alex Anderson in January in the Portage Park neighborhood. After being shot, Anderson stumbled home and said, “Tre Shot me.” Anderson died the next day and became the 15th homicide victim of 2014.

Photo from Alex Anderson memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

A memorial for Anderson featuring candles and liquor bottles was created near a snowy sidewalk outside his home.

Photos from Alex Anderson memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Ronald Hayes

Ronald Hayes, 17, was fatally shot in February while shoveling snow by his Near West Side home, family said. His mother, Cathy Booker, wore her son's Banner West Academy school ID around her neck as she recalled his love for basketball and his teenage appetite for tacos and Italian beef.

Booker shows Hayes' school ID / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Hayes’ memorial was created where he was gunned down and featured stuffed animals and flowers struggling to survive in the February snow. A single blue balloon swayed silhouetted against the sky -- an exclamation point marking the city’s 31st homicide of 2014.

Photos from Ronald memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Javan Boyd

Javan Boyd, 28, was working his night job as a livery driver when at least two gunmen fatally shot him just blocks from U.S. Cellular Field in February. His aunt, Trina Boyd, said he was a hard working man who loved to play basketball and spend time with his 11-year-old daughter.

The memorials often look colorful from a distance, but up close nicknames and expressions of love are written in black ink on a blank white board.

Photos from Javan Boyd memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Eric Woods

Alexander Scott allegedly fatally shot 25-year-old Eric Woods at his West Garfield Park home in late February during a domestic dispute.

Eric Woods / Family Photo

Mourners stood in front of the home and wrote “forever you live thru” and “you live through us” on a message board posted outside. A trail of blood spattered the stairs and sidewalk in front of the home and red roses had been scattered across the scene.

Photos from Eric Woods memorial / Photo by Chase DiFeliciantonio

Comment of the Day: "I Love You Bestfriend Continue Resing, Until We Meet Again"

Michael Lansu — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:53:01 -0600

Ronald Hayes was fatally shot Feb. 9 on the Near West Side. Reader Kalynn posted this about him:

I Love You Bestfriend Continue Resing , Until We Meet Again.

Devon McCauley charged with murder in shooting death of 17-year-old Ronald Hayes

Michael Lansu — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 19:44:17 -0600

Devon McCauley / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU AND CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO
Homicide Watch Chicago

Devon McCauley was charged with murder Saturday for allegedly gunning down 17-year-old Ronald Hayes last Sunday on the Near West Side.

McCauley, 22, is accused of shooting Hayes multiple times about 4:15 p.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street -- about two blocks from the Near West District police station, authorities said.

Hayes' mother, Cathy Booker, said her son was shoveling snow a few blocks away from their home when he was shot.

Hayes, of the 1300 block of West Washburne Avenue, was dead at the scene an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

“He was shoveling snow. He was doing a good deed,” Booker said.

Hayes’ was a fan of Chicago Bulls’ star Derrick Rose and often played basketball in nearby Fosco Park, Booker said.

Ronald Hayes / Photo from Facebook

Hayes attended Banner Academy West High School and was scheduled to graduate in June, Booker said.

“He was a good kid, he loved his family, loved basketball” Booker said. “He was gonna take his mama to prom.”

Police identified McCauley, of the 1200 block of West 14th Street, as the shooter and he was charged with one count of first-degree murder, police said. McCauley is expected to appear in court for a bond hearing Sunday.

Mother: High school student fatally shot shoveling snow

Michael Lansu — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 18:42:11 -0600

BY CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO
Homicide Watch Chicago

Ronald Hayes’ older brother survived being shot nine times last year outside their mother’s Near West Side home, family said.

On Sunday, Hayes was fatally shot while shoveling snow just blocks away, said his mother, Cathy Booker.

“He was shoveling snow. He was doing a good deed,” Booker said.

Authorities said Hayes, 17, was shot multiple times about 4:15 p.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street -- about two blocks from the Near West District police station.

Hayes, who lived about two blocks north in the 1300 block of West Washburn Avenue, was dead on the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A small memorial of teddy bears, flowers and a blue balloon marked the scene of the killing.

Ronald Hayes memorial

Hayes’ was a fan of Chicago Bulls’ star Derrick Rose and often played basketball in nearby Fosco Park, Booker said.

Hayes attended Banner Academy West High School and was scheduled to graduate in June, said Booker, who wore Hayes’ school ID around her neck.

“He was a good kid, he loved his family, loved basketball” Booker said. “He was gonna take his mama to prom.”

Hayes enjoyed rap music, especially South Side rapper Chief Keef, and had a big appetite for tacos and Italian beef sandwiches, his mother said.

Hayes, nicknamed “Duck,” was known for his gregarious smile. As word of his death spread, Hayes’ friends took to Twitter to express their condolences.

R.I.P RONALD "LIL DUCK" HAYES ! #BallInParadise MY BOI!

— #Mr1OOMusic (@TBoneLo219) February 10, 2014

Booker said her son related to Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl fatally shot in January 2013 less than a mile from President Barack Obama’s Kenwood home.

“His heart felt for her,” Booker said.

While Hayes never met Pendleton, he had personally experienced violence. Last year, Hayes’ 18-year-old brother was shot nine times, their mother said.

Booker claims local gang members killed Hayes. She acknowledged her son had a juvenile criminal record, but described the arrests as teenage behavior and said her son was not involved in a gang.

Ronald Hayes / Photo from Facebook

“He wasn’t no gang banger, what gang banger you know shovels snow?” said Booker, who noted the number of police cameras near the murder scene.

Booker’s voice rose when talking about the violence in her community.

“Where’s the mayor? Where’s the alderman?” Booker said. “They don’t give damn about our family down here. … Mayor, when you going to help me?”

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

WEEK IN REVIEW: 7 homicides reported throughout the city

Michael Lansu — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 09:59:47 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Seven people died last week from violence throughout the city.

Six of the victims were shot to death, and a woman was found fatally stabbed in a burning Southwest Side building. The youngest person killed was 17 and the oldest was 51.

The most recent killing happened when 17-year-old Ronald Hayes was fatally shot in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street about 4:15 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Hayes, of the 1300 block of West Washburne Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the West Garfield Park neighborhood, 44-year-old John Serpe was fatally shot in the 4500 block of West Monroe Street about 5:10 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Police found Serpe, of the 2900 block of Maple Avenue in Downers Grove, sitting in the driver’s seat with a single gunshot wound to the left side of his chest, authorities said. He was declared dead at the scene.

In the Brighton Park neighborhood, firefighters found 51-year-old Lucy Wrobel stabbed to death in her burning home in the 2500 block of West 45th Place about 1:50 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Wrobel was dead on the scene and an autopsy found she died of multiple injuries from a physical assault, according to the medical examiner’s office. Her death was ruled a homicide.

In the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, 29-year-old Corey Williams was fatally shot in the chest about 1:30 a.m. Thursday in the 8100 block of South Marshfield Avenue, authorities said.

Williams, of the 6000 block of South Richmond Avenue, died a short time later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the Rogers Park neighborhood, 17-year-old Markeyo Carr was killed in a shooting in a McDonald's parking lot that left three others injured about 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

The victims had been in an argument with another group shortly before the masked gunman approached them in the parking lot in the 6700 block of North Clark Street, police said. The shooter ran off and has not been charged.

Carr, of the 6500 block of North Ashland Avenue, was dead on the scene, according to the medical examiner's office. Also wounded were a 15-year-old girl and two 18-year-old men, according to police, who said two of the people shot had gang affiliations.

The killings started when 20-year-old Willie Buie was fatally shot in an alley in the 7600 block of South Wallace Street about 2:10 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Buie was standing with at least one other man when a gunman approached and opened fire, authorities said. Buie, of the 7000 block of South Lowe Avenue, was struck multiple times and died at the scene.

Additionally, 34-year-old Sixto Roman died Tuesday after being shot in the head Feb. 1 in the Logan Square neighborhood.

Roman and another man, also 34, were shot while traveling in a light-colored car in the 3200 block of West Armitage Avenue, authorities said. The other man suffered a graze wound to the head and treated at Stroger Hospital, police said.

Nobody has been charged in any of the killings.

The medical examiner's office has ruled eight February deaths homicides.

In January, Chicago Police reported 20 murders, and the Cook County medical examiner's office, which tracks homicides different, tallied 23 killings in the month.

Ronald Hayes shot dead on Near West Side

Michael Lansu — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 09:24:02 -0600

Ronald Hayes / Photo from Facebook

A 17-year-old boy was fatally shot Sunday afternoon on the Near West Side.

Ronald Hayes was shot in the head about 4:15 p.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street, authorities said.

Hayes, of the 1300 block of West Washburne Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

As word of his death spread, Hayes' friends took to Twitter to express their condolences.

R.I.P RONALD "LIL DUCK" HAYES ! #BallInParadise MY BOI!

— #Mr1OOMusic (@TBoneLo219) February 10, 2014

RIP #RonaldHayes

— i am (@jusConscious) February 10, 2014

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media