Steven LaVoie | Homicide Watch Chicago

Wife of Loop CEO Steven LaVoie, who was fatally shot in his office, sues killer's estate

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 13:58:34 -0500

By REEMA AMIN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Jody LaVoie, wife of Steven LaVoie, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the estate of the man who shot her husband in his Loop office before taking his own life. | Sun-Times file photo

The wife of Loop CEO Steve LaVoie, who died last year after he was shot by a demoted executive—who then turned the gun on himself—filed a lawsuit Thursday against the shooter’s estate.

Jody LaVoie, wife of the 55-year-old Steven LaVoie, filed the wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against Pamela Balmes, administrator of the estate of Anthony DeFrances.

The shooting happened the morning of July 31, 2014 at the 17th floor ArrowStream office inside the Bank of America Building, 231 S. LaSalle St. Police said DeFrances had been demoted as chief technology officer six days earlier at Arrowstream, where Steven LaVoie, of LaGrange, was the CEO.

The men were in a meeting in Steven LaVoie’s 17th Floor office when co-workers outside heard shouts and three or four gunshots. Authorities said DeFrances, 60, shot Steven LaVoie in the stomach and head before turning the gun on himself.

DeFrances, 60, died that day. LaVoie remained at Northwestern Memorial Hospital until he died in October 2014.

The suit, which said the men were close friends outside work, claims DeFrances was being treated for a mental illness before the day of the shooting.

Among several points, the suit claims DeFrances was negligent for using a gun while he was under treatment and without a license. The suit also places blame on him for bringing a loaded gun into a meeting.

Steven LaVoie left his wife and three daughters —15, 12 and 9 at the time — behind, who have all “suffered the loss of support, society, companionship, love and affection” of their husband and dad, the suit said.

At his memorial service last October, Steven LaVoie’s sister Lisa Killian said he was devoted to his family.

“Those girls were Steven’s life,” said his sister, Lisa Killian, whether he was attending dances, Indian Princess meetings or soccer games with them.

The Rev. Rebecca McClintock told mourners that Jody LaVoie thought her husband would have been heartbroken to know that DeFrances was in so much pain that he thought the shooting was a good solution.

Balmes, whose relationship to DeFrances wasn’t known, couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

Among its claims, the four-count suit alleges wrongful death and negligence, and it seeks an unspecified amount in damages.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six killed in Chicago violence

Michael Lansu — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 08:59:55 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Four people were shot to death, one man was fatally stabbed and another was beaten and strangled last week in Chicago.

Three of the six murder victims were fatally shot over the weekend, when at least 19 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 18-year-old Alexandria Burgos was shot in the head while sitting in an apartment in the 5300 block of West Oakdale Avenue when gunfire erupted outside about 12:35 a.m., authorities said.

Burgos, of an unidentified home address, died less than an hour later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, 24-year-old Genorel Martin was opening the door to his apartment building in the 6700 block of South Throop Street in West Englewood when a gunman approached about 1 a.m. and fatally shot him near the vestibule, authorities said.

In the Roseland neighborhood, police found 21-year-old Travis L. Wright shot to death in the backseat of a car outside his home in the 9300 block of South Wentworth Avenue about 12:25 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

On Thursday, prosecutors claim 29-year-old Erika Jett fatally stabbed her boyfriend, 30-year-old Rodney Wilson, during a domestic fight in the 5100 block of West Fulton Street, authorities said.

Wilson, of an unidentified home address, died about an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.

Jett was charged with murder and was ordered held on $500,000 bond.

In the South Shore neighborhood, 25-year-old Alexander D. Smith was shot in the 7500 block of South Colfax Avenue about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Smith, of an unidentified home address, was shot multiple times and was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 14-year-old boy was also wounded but survived.

The killing started when a janitor found the body of 45-year-old homeless man Joseph Kaman in a garbage bin at Northwestern Business College in in the 4800 block of North Lipps about 11:45 a.m Tuesday, authorities said.

Prosecutors claim Jake Tate, 27, Todd Cooper, 35, and Daniel Morris, 20, beat, strangled and sodomized Kaman because Tate thought he had stolen his cell phone.

Additionally, 55-year-old ArrowStream CEO Steven LaVoie died last Monday after being shot July 31 in the 200 block of South LaSalle, authorities said. Police said recently demoted employee Tony DeFrances shot LaVoie then turned the gun on himself.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 349 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 13 people killed by police.

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

Comment of the Day: "I remember him as a real bright light in our class"

Michael Lansu — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 16:11:27 -0500

ArrowStream CEO Steven LaVoie was shot at his Loop office July 31 and died this month. Reader "Georgette N." posted this about him:

To the LaVoie Family, of Chicago, Illinois and also Sonoma, California: Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of Steven. I went to high school with him here in California, and I remember him as a real bright light in our class. A smart, funny, and kind person. He was an "old soul" in a young man's body, and that's meant in good way. Steve carried a briefcase around with him at Sonoma High, and it was his trademark. We were all just kids then, looking forward to our futures. Steve will be missed by many and will be remembered with fondness. Please take some comfort in knowing that he is now with God -- and he is whole, happy, and free.

Loop CEO shot by employee in July dies from injuries

Michael Lansu — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 15:43:06 -0500

Steven LaVoie

BY JON SEIDEL
Homicide Watch Chicago

The Loop CEO shot by a recently demoted executive in July has died, according to an online journal maintained by his family.

The entry announcing ArrowStream CEO Steven LaVoie’s death appears on the website CaringBridge.org. Jody LaVoie, his wife, is listed as its author.

“I am writing to let you know that Steve’s body has succumbed to his numerous injuries,” she wrote. “I had truly hoped to tell a different story now about his recovery, and for so long I believed he would be with us again. But know that the man you all remember so dearly, fought so bravely. Steve brought great dignity and beauty to all of our lives these past months.”

LaVoie, 55, was shot on July 31 by Tony DeFrances, who police said had recently been demoted.

LaVoie and DeFrances were meeting in LaVoie’s office on the 17th floor of the Bank of America building, 231 S. La Salle St., when co-workers outside heard shouts and three or four gunshots, according to a police source. DeFrances, 60, shot LaVoie in the stomach and head before turning the gun on himself, police said.

A father of three who lived in west suburban La Grange, LaVoie started his company out of his home while living in Wicker Park in 2000. It sold supply-chain management technology to large restaurants like Wendy’s and Applebee’s.

It was named by a business trade group as one of Chicago’s best companies to work for the past three years.

LaVoie hired DeFrances 14 years ago. He’d been with the company from nearly the beginning. Before joining ArrowStream, DeFrances founded a successful software company.

DeFrances was demoted July 25 from his position as chief technology officer, police said.

After the shooting, former ArrowStream employee Pete Rocha described LaVoie as an “extremely charismatic individual” who took on the status quo in their industry with a revolutionary mind-set. He said LaVoie cared, on a personal level, about all of his employees.

Fred Hoch, the CEO of the Illinois Technology Association and a friend of LaVoie, said the ArrowStream CEO was one of the happiest people he’d ever met.

“He is always intensely happy. Driven to do things but happy about it.”

On Monday, Jody LaVoie remembered her husband on a CaringBridge.org entry titled “Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.”

“Steve was a man who cared about everyone and was passionate in all aspects of his life,” she wrote. “I always knew this, but over the past few months so many people have reached out to me to share how Steve inspired them, or shared his gift of friendship and kindness.”

Jody LaVoie wrote services for her husband will begin 6 p.m. Friday at the LaGrange Country Club, followed by a service 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church of La Grange. However, she said arrangements are still being finalized, and more details will be announced as they become available.