Terrance McNeal | Homicide Watch Chicago

Comment of the Day: "I don't know how I ever would have been able to make it without knowing who was responsible for this"

Michael Lansu — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:56:30 -0500

Prosecutors said Martel Halbert fatally shot Terrance McNeal as he rode his motorcycle May 4 in the Austin neighborhood. Reader "Ke Ke MissingmyhubbyBobbyord M" posted this about the charges:

So grateful that the CPD put the needed time and effort into finding my fiancé as well as my daughter's father killer. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH and I don't know how I ever would have been able to make it without knowing who was responsible for this. THANK YOU

Prosecutors: Terrance McNeal told cops Martel Halbert shot him in the Austin community

Michael Lansu — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 16:11:33 -0500

Martel Halbert / Photo from Chicago Police

BY JORDAN OWEN
Sun-Times Media

Before dying in surgery, Terrance McNeal told police that Martel “Party” Halbert had shot him, prosecutors said.

Halbert, 33, was charged with first-degree murder Wednesday for the May 4 shooting in the Austin neighborhood. He was ordered held without bond during a Thursday court hearing.

Prosecutors said McNeal, 23, was riding a motorcycle in the 400 block of North LeClare when Halbert pulled up next to McNeal and fired multiple shots from a car about 3:15 a.m.

McNeal fell to the ground, and his motorcycle fell on top of him, prosecutors said.

Halbert then parked the car, walked over to the injured McNeal and attempted to shoot him again, prosecutors said. But the gun did not fire, Halbert allegedly ran back to his car and drove away.

McNeal, who was shot six times in the abdomen, told responding officers that “Party” shot him and provided Halbert's home address, prosecutors said.

McNeal, of the 400 block of North Leamington Avenue, died in surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said.

Shakina McDowell, the father of McNeal’s 1-year-old daughter, said her boyfriend had gone to get a gyro for the couple to share when he was shot.

Terrance McNeal / Submitted photo

McNeal purchased a motorcycle about three weeks ago and enjoyed riding it through the Austin neighborhood, said his mother, Tracy McNeal. He talked about going to school to become a mechanic so he could make something of his passion for cars.

Officers used the information McNeal provided to identify Halbert, who prosecutors called a documented gang member.

Several witnesses also identified Halbert as the shooter, prosecutors said.

Family: Aspiring mechanic, father Terrance McNeal shot dead in Austin neighborhood

Susan Du — Wed, 07 May 2014 13:04:42 -0500

Terrance McNeal / Submitted photo

BY SUSAN DU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Terrance McNeal was a natural mechanic who loved cars and riding his motorcycle through the city.

McNeal, 23, was shot multiple times early Sunday during an altercation in the 400 block of North Leclaire Avenue, authorities said. He died about two hours later at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Shakina McDowell, the father of McNeal's 1-year-old daughter Kasey, said her boyfriend had gone to get a gyro for the couple to share when he was shot.

"I got a call from his sister and she told me [McNeal] just got shot, and I was like 'stop playing,'" McDowell said. "It just didn't seem real. I just couldn't believe it. He was always so careful."

McDowell said coping with McNeal's violent death is more difficult every day.

"It's starting to seem real now. It's really starting to seem like he's not coming back," she said. "Everybody's just helping out each other in any way they can because everybody's so hurt."

She said her son was so deft with his hands that he could take anything apart and put it back together.

"He walked at 7 months. I remember at a year and a half, he wore size four shoes and he was 17 pounds, he was so tiny," his mother recalled.

McNeal attended St. Catherine of Siena - St. Lucy School, where he met McDowell. The pair both attended Austin Business and Entrepreneurship Academy and went together to junior and senior prom, where they were crowned king and queen, McDowell said.

Shakina McDowell and Terrance McNeal at prom / Submitted photo

She recalled when their eighth grade teacher attempted to give salsa lessons to a disinterested class and McNeal was the only one enthusiastic enough to go up and dance with her.

McDowell said she wants to remember McNeal as a father who played with his daughter.

"Every night he came in the house he would wake her up and try to play with her. I would always try to stop him because I would have to get up in the morning," she recalled. "If she was sleeping and she heard him coming in, she would wake up and there was no more going back to sleep. He really loved his daughter. Really did."

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine murdered throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 05 May 2014 09:26:32 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were murdered last week in Chicago, and a 10th person died from injuries suffered in a mid-April shooting.

The killings included seven shooting deaths, one stabbing and one man intentionally run over by an SUV.

Four of the murders happened over the weekend, when 26 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murder happened when 41-year-old William Bailey was shot in the back in a garage in the 9200 block of South Emerald Avenue about 11:35 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Bailey, of the 7300 block of South Union Avenue, about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Chatham neighborhood, 29-year-old Jabari Davis was fatally shot in his home in the 900 block of East 81st Street about 7:15 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. He died at the scene.

In the Austin neighborhood, 23-year-old Terrance McNeal was fatally shot during a fight on a sidewalk in the 400 block of North Leclaire Avenue about 3:15 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

McNeal, of the 400 block of North Leamington Avenue, was shot in the abdomen and arm and died at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said.

On Saturday, 55-year-old Rickey Hayes was fatally stabbed during a fight in the 7900 block of South Ingleside Avenue about 9:45 p.m., authorities said.

Hayes, of the 500 block of East 76th Street, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County about an hour later, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the McKinley Park neighborhood, 24-year-old Antonio Mendez was intentionally run over by an SUV during an argument in the 1800 block of West 33rd Place about 6:45 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Mendez, of the 2200 block of West 35th Place, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County less than a half hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy determined Mendez died from multiple injuries from an SUV striking a pedestrian and the death was ruled a homicide.

On Thursday, 34-year-old Jeromy Ellis was fatally shot in the head near East 81st Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue about 2:05 a.m., authorities said. Ellis, of the 7600 block of South Drexel Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Wednesday, Miata Phelan fatally stabbed her boyfriend, Larry Martin, about 6:40 p.m. inside his home in the 6800 block of South Talman Avenue in the Chicago Lawn community, authorities said.

Martin's family said his 8-year-old son tried to save his father by applying pressure to the stab wound with a towel. Martin, 28, died about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Prosecutors said Phelan, who is seven months pregnant, became enraged when she found out Martin bought gifts for his cousin and brother during a trip to the mall.

About 4:30 p.m. Monday, 14-year-old Endia Martin was fatally shot by another 14-year-old girl during a fight over a boy in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard, authorities said.

Endia, of the 5300 block of South Wallace Street, died at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital 40 minutes later, according to the medical examiner's office.

The shooter and her uncle, Donnell Flora, of the 8300 block of South Buffalo, were each charged with first-degree murder, authorities said. Numerous other people were charged for their role in the fight and shooting.

The killings started when Crystal Caffey, 27, allegedly fatally stabbed Marvin Turner, 29, about 2:30 a.m. last Monday in their home in the 4000 block of West Maypole Avenue, authorities said.

Prosecutors claim Caffey and Turner were a couple, and she stabbed him during a fight over missing money after a card game at their West Garfield Park home.

Additionally, 45-year-old John J. Miles died last Tuesday from injuries suffered when he was shot multiple times about 11:30 a.m. April 19 outside his home in the 1700 block of West Rosehill Drive, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 116 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including five people killed by police.

Additionally, the state’s attorney’s office filed first-degree murder charges against a speeding motorist who killed an off-duty police officer while trying to flee police even though the autopsy ruled the death an accident.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different, have ruled at least eight of the homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Terrance McNeal fatally shot during Austin fight

Michael Lansu — Sun, 04 May 2014 19:46:58 -0500

Terrance McNeal was fatally shot during an early Sunday argument in the Austin neighborhood.

McNeal, 23, got into a fight with a man on a sidewalk in the 400 block of North Leclaire Avenue at 3:15 a.m., authorities said.

During the fight, the other pulled out a gun and shot McNeal multiple times, authorities said.

McNeal, of the 400 block of North Leamington Avenue, was shot in the abdomen area and arm, authorities said. He died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 5:37 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire