Taylor Flowers | Homicide Watch Chicago

Shocked sister remembers past squabbles, guidance and legacy of kindness from Taylor Flowers

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:21:16 -0500

By ZOË FISHER
Homicide Watch Chicago

Taylor Flowers, 23, celebrated her golden birthday just a few weeks before her death on March 18. Her sister, Tamara Allen, remembered how excited Flowers was for her “Jordan year,” the birthday based on Michael Jordan's jersey number.

Birthdays were an exciting time in the household growing up with seven siblings in south suburban Dolton.

Because she was the oldest, “what she said went,” Allen said about Flowers. This would cause squabbles between the two when they were younger, but it also made them the closest of all their siblings.

“My mom always said, ‘Y’all sisters. Y’all need to learn to resolve your issues',” Allen said. She still looks at the text messages between her and her sister, and is thankful they are filled with words of love toward each other.

Even in adulthood, they still had a friendly sibling rivalry.

“Taylor always beat some butt in spades,” Allen said. “That is serious.”

Around this time last year, Allen remembers one of her favorite times with her sister. They went to their mom’s house with charcoal, cards, food and fireworks for an impromptu July 4 BBQ.

This summer has a much more somber tone with Flowers gone.

She was shot March 15 in her home by her child’s father, Devon Williams, before he took his own life, according to Chicago Police. She died four days later at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Allen said she trusted Williams because she trusted her sister's judgment, so she was shocked to hear what happened. However, Allen doesn’t hold animosity toward Williams or his family.

Their one-year-old daughter, Ava Kalise Williams, is primarily taken care of by Flower's mother, but still visits Williams' family on occasion.

Taylor Flowers and her daughter.

Allen described her sister as a great mother. She remembered Flowers working long hours just to come home and help build a gingerbread house with her daughter last winter.

Flowers also taught her sister about motherhood. When Allen herself got pregnant at a young age, Flowers was the top assistant in raising Allen’s child. She said her sister taught her to be independent and would even babysit her son while Allen was at work.

Taylor Flowers and her nephew.

Flower’s dedication and fierce independence was always admired by her family and friends. The setbacks in her life never stopped her from achieving her goals. Her family celebrated once Taylor taught herself to drive last year, which was something she always wanted to do, Allen said.

Her determination and kindness will be a lasting legacy. In one instance, a friend didn’t have food, so Flowers took her to a food pantry. She was an active problem solver, "she made stuff happen," Allen said.

Her sister remembers her being the friend that would listen to a problem, but more importantly, find a solution.

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 12 die from violence in Chicago, including 4 gunned down on election day

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 17:40:10 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least 12 people died from violence in Chicago last week, including four men fatally shot on primary election day. Three of the victims died days or weeks after being shot, including a woman who died four days after being wounded by a man in a domestic murder-suicide.

The latest fatal shooting left a 23-year-old man dead and a 26-year-old man critically wounded Sunday afternoon in Albany Park. A male wearing a baseball hat and dark jacket fired shots in the 4800 block of North Albany about 2:45 p.m. The suspect took off on a bicycle after the shooting, Chicago Police said.

The younger man, identified as Christian Ortiz, suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and police. He lived in the 2400 block of West Bryn Mawr.

The older man suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and was taken in critical condition to Masonic Medical Center, police said.

Jeanette Laureano was fatally shot Friday evening in the Belmont Gardens neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

Laureano, 24, was sitting in a parked car just before 6 p.m. in the 2700 block of North Kilbourn when another car pulled up and someone got out and shot her in the chest, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Laureano, of the 2200 block of North Nagle, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 6:36 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found she died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Lorenzo Lonnell Lancaster died after he was shot Friday afternoon in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. The 42-year-old was shot in the chest at 1:52 p.m. in the 3700 block of West Division, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

He was taken to Norwegian American Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:38 p.m., authorities said. He lived in the 3400 block of West Ohio.

Tyree D. Grant was found shot to death early Friday on a sidewalk in the Roseland neighborhood. Grant, 23, was found unresponsive on the sidewalk in the 10500 block of South Dauphin at 1:08 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Grant, of the 100 block of West 112th Street, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of five gunshot wounds to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Sixteen-year-old Lucas Spicer was killed and two men wounded in a shooting Thursday evening in Humboldt Park. At 7:12 p.m., the three were standing in the 800 block of North St. Louis Avenue when a vehicle pulled up, and a gunman got out and opened fire, according to authorities.

Spicer, shot in the chest, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died, authorities said. He lived in the 1600 block of South Central Park Avenue.

An 18-year-old man shot in the chest and neck was also taken to Stroger, where he was listed in critical condition, police said. A 19-year-old man suffered a graze wound and was taken in good condition to Norwegian American Hospital.

Kenneth Renaldo Brown was shot to death Tuesday night in the South Side Englewood neighborhood, one of four men fatally shot on election day.

Brown, 31, was standing outside with a group of people in the 7000 block of South Morgan about 11:30 p.m. when several males walked up and someone opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Brown, of the 6000 block of South Paulina, suffered gunshot wounds to the eye, right arm and neck, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.

Another man was shot to death late Tuesday in the South Shore neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of shots fired in the 2300 block of East 70th Place about 11:05 p.m. found 23-year-old Antoine Crowder lying on the sidewalk unresponsive, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Crowder, who lived in the 8600 block of South Lowe Avenue, had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the body and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than 30 minutes later, authorities said.

Victor Navarrette was also shot to death Tuesday night in the Marquette Park neighborhood. The 25-year-old was driving an SUV in the 3200 block of West 64th Place about 10:40 p.m. when someone in another SUV fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Navarrette was shot in the head, then crashed his vehicle into a garage in the 6400 block of South Troy Street, police said. No one was injured in the crash.

Navarrette, who lived in the 3200 block of West 65th Street, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before midnight, authorities said.

The fourth man killed on primary election day was shot to death in the West Englewood neighborhood. Charis Vernell Eaton Jr., 23, was inside a business in the 1200 block of West 69th Street at 7:30 p.m. when someone came in and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Eaton, of the 7600 block of South Loomis, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:22 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

A 42-year-old man shot nearly two weeks earlier in the South Side Auburn Gresham neighborhood died of his wounds Sunday. Marteace Tiffith was in his vehicle in the 8800 block of South Wood Street around 6:45 p.m. on March 8 when a black SUV pulled up beside him and someone inside fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Tiffith was shot in the head, arm and shoulder, and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:35 p.m. Sunday, March 20. An autopsy found he died of complications of multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.

A 23-year-old woman died Tuesday, four days after she was shot during a hostage situation Friday in Chicago Lawn. Police responded to a domestic disturbance at 2:23 p.m. in the 3000 block of West 60th Street, and found man with a gun barricaded inside with a woman and baby girl.

SWAT officers managed to get into the residence at 9:33 p.m. and found 26-year-old Darnell Williams dead with a gunshot wound that appeared to be self-inflicted, authorities said.

The woman, identified as 23-year-old Taylor Flowers, was taken with a gunshot wound to the head to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Flowers, of the 1500 block of South Wabash, was pronounced dead there Tuesday.

The baby was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in good condition.

A man shot Sunday, March 13, in the West Side Homan Square neighborhood died the next day. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 6:40 a.m. in the 3500 block of West Lexington found the 18-year-old unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head, according to police.

Marvelle Arnold was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:50 p.m. Monday, March 14. He lived in the 2700 block of West 15th Place.

Taylor Flowers dies four days after she was shot during Chicago Lawn hostage situation

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:29:44 -0500

By SIMONE ALICEA
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Police investigate a hostage situation that turned into a murder suicide when a man shot a woman and then killed himself Friday in Chicago Lawn. | Network Video Productions

Taylor Flowers died four days after she was shot during a hostage situation Friday in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood in which her killer then took his own life.

Officers responded to a domestic incident at 2:23 p.m. in the 3000 block of West 60th Street, according to Chicago Police. A man with a gun had barricaded himself inside with a woman and a baby girl, and SWAT was called to the scene, police said.

Taylor Flowers | photo provided

Officers managed to get into the residence at 9:33 p.m. and found the man dead with a gunshot wound that appeared to be self-inflicted, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified him as 26-year-old Darnell Williams, who lived in the home.

An autopsy Saturday found Williams died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide, the medical examiner’s office said.

The woman, identified as the 23-year-old Flowers, was taken in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Flowers, of the 1500 block of South Wabash, died at Christ at 4:33 p.m. Tuesday, according to the medical examiner’s office. Her death was ruled a homicide.

The infant was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in good condition.