Solomon Morales | Homicide Watch Chicago

Friend pleads guilty to fatally stabbing Solomon Morales during 2013 drunken argument over marijuana plant

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 09:28:16 -0500

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Christopher Shoji | Cook County Sheriff's Department

A North Center neighborhood man was sentenced to 20 years in prison last week for stabbing his best friend, Solomon Morales, to death in 2013 after a drunken argument over a marijuana plant he was growing.

Christopher Shoji, 28, pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder before Judge Joseph Claps, according to Cook County court records.

Shoji stabbed the 24-year-old Morales to death on the morning of Oct. 8, 2013, authorities said at the time.

Shoji, Morales and a female friend were drinking in the woman’s apartment in the 2000 block of West Warner when Morales and Shoji started arguing about the marijuana plant Shoji was growing in his mother's backyard, prosecutors said.

Morales yelled at Shoji about the plant and the fight soon turned physical, prosecutors said. The woman told the men to leave because she didn’t want to get evicted from her apartment over the commotion, and when she eventually separated the men, Morales left the apartment with a beer can.

Shoji grabbed a knife and followed Morales outside before stabbing him repeatedly in an alley, Croswell said. He told the woman he was scared Morales would “snitch” about his plant.

After Shoji stabbed Morales, he ran to his mother’s house and pulled the 4- to 5-foot marijuana plant out of the ground, prosecutors said. He then ran back to the friend’s apartment and hid with the plant in her closet, where police found him, prosecutors said. He had left the knife in his mother’s yard.

Morales, of the 4200 block of North Damen, died at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his family took him after he was able to walk home, leaving a trail of blood, prosecutors said. He knocked on the door and collapsed.

Claps sentenced Shoji to 20 years in prison Thursday, according to court records. He was booked into the Stateville Correctional Center on Friday.

Shoji will receive credit for 969 days served in the Cook County Jail, and was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release.

Chicago man kills best friend over pot plant: prosecutors

Brian Slodysko — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 10:00:10 -0500

A North Center neighborhood man allegedly stabbed his best friend to death after the drunken pair got into an argument over the marijuana plant the man was growing in his mother’s backyard, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

After Christopher Shoji killed 24-year-old Solomon Morales outside their mutual friend’s basement apartment early Tuesday morning, he ran to his mother’s house, pulled out the 4- to-5-foot long illegal plant, came back to the friend’s apartment and hid in her closet with the pot where police found him, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Latoya Croswell said Thursday.

Shoji, 25, allegedly admitted to his female friend that he left the knife he used in the fatal stabbing in his mother’s backyard.

He also told her he was scared Morales, of the 4200 block of North Damen, would “snitch” about his marijuana plant, Croswell said.

Morales died at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his family took him after he was able to walk home, leaving a trail of blood from his friend’s home, in the 2000 block of West Warner.

He knocked on the door and collapsed, Croswell said.

Morales’ older brother, Archimides Morales, believes that Shoji was mad at his younger brother because he believed he was stealing pot from that “stupid-ass plant in his backyard.”

“He [Solomon Morales] wasn’t smoking anymore because he was looking for a job,” Archimides Morales told the Sun-Times in a telephone interview.

“They were best friends, which is the worst part about it. We saw him [Shoji] all the time. We always had him at our house for dinner and to drink . . . I gave Chris the clothes off my back. It pisses me off that this how he repays us. He was family,” Archimides Morales said.

Around 4 a.m. Tuesday, Morales, Shoji and their female elementary school friend had been drinking in the woman’s apartment when Morales and Shoji started fighting in the kitchen, Croswell said.

Morales yelled at Shoji about the marijuana plant and the fight soon turned physical, Croswell said.

The woman told the men to leave because she didn’t want to get evicted from her apartment over the commotion.

She eventually separated the Morales and Shoji and Morales left the apartment with a beer can, Croswell said.

Shoji grabbed a knife and followed Morales outside before stabbing him repeatedly in an alley, Croswell said.

Shoji allegedly told the woman he stabbed Morales. She also saw the blood on the knife.

Archimides Morales said his brother was currently working as a mover and often did day care duties for him.

“He was great with kids. F---, I’d give him my son and he’d fall asleep in his arms,” Archimides Morales said.

Shoji, of the 2000 block of West Hutchinson and employed at a Quizno’s sandwich shop, had an outsanding warrant for his arrest for violating his probation for a 2010 weapons conviction.

When he was arrested, he allegedly told police, “That’s my weed and I’m a convicted felon with a warrant.”

“He was in the f------ closet holding on to that little-ass plant as if he was holding on his life,” Archimides Morales said, exasperated.

Shoji was charged with murder and misdemeanor cannabis production.

Shoji can’t “control himself,” Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. said before ordering him held without bond Thursday.

Shoji’s family didn’t comment but a woman yelled, “Love you Chris” before he was taken away by sheriff’s deputies.

Christopher Shoji/photo from Chicago Police

Man charged in North Center stabbing death

Sun-Times Media Wire — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 10:37:41 -0500

A North Center neighborhood man was charged Wednesday with allegedly stabbing a man to death outside his North Side home.

Christopher Shoji, 25, is charged with first-degree murder for the Tuesday stabbing that killed Solomon Morales, authorities said.

Morales’ mother found him stabbed to death on his doorstep in the 4200 block of North Damen Avenue about 4:10 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Morales, 25, suffered stab wounds to the left side and abdomen, and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died about two-and-a-half hours later, authorities said.

Shoji, of the 2000 block of West Warner Avenue, is also charged with one misdemeanor count of cannabis production, according to police News Affairs.

He will appear for a bond nearing Thursday, police said.

Authorities did not immediately disclose a motive for the slaying late Wednesday. Area North detectives are investigating.

Christopher Shoji