Tony Purnell | Homicide Watch Chicago

Inmate Jason Robles charged with murder in jail beating death of Tony Purnell

Michael Lansu — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 19:34:00 -0500

Jason Robles / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

A Cook County Jail inmate has been charged with murder in the July death of fellow inmate Tony Purnell.

Sheriff’s officers identified 23-year-old Jason Robles as the inmate who got into a fight with Purnell, 42, on June 23, said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari.

Purnell died later that day at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found Purnell died of complications from head injuries caused by an assault and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Tony Purnell / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

Purnell had been in the jail since January on a disorderly conduct charge. He was also charged with civil contempt in February, authorities said.

In July, Robles was sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated battery to a government employee, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections website. He has since been charged with murder in Purnell's death, but court information was not immediately available.

“This was a tragic case and the first such case in the jail in more than six years,” Ansari said.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Comment of the Day: "Crazy how you can go in for disorderly conduct and end up not coming out"

Michael Lansu — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 15:59:08 -0500

Inmate Tony Purnell, 42, was injured during a June 23 fight at the Cook County Jail and died about a month later. Reader "JRD" posted this about the killing:

Crazy how you can go in for disorderly conduct and end up not coming out. RIP tho

WEEK IN REVIEW: Two teens among five killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:58:26 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Five people were shot throughout Chicago last week, including two teenage boys.

The most recent murder happened about 6 p.m. Friday when 13-year-old Samuel Walker was shot in the 700 block of South California Avenue, authorities said. Six other people were wounded in the shooting, according to police.

Sandra Williams, Samuel’s aunt, said her nephew had just finished summer school and was on his way to buy chips from a convenience store when he was shot.

Samuel was one of 26 people shot over the weekend. He was the only one who died.

On Thursday, 39-year-old Anthony Edwards was shot when a gunman opened fire on a gas station in the 11600 block of South Michigan Avenue about 3:15 a.m., authorities said.

Edwards, of the 12000 block of South Normal Avenue, was shot several times and died at the scene, authorities said.

On Wednesday, 16-year-old Darren Foggey was shot when a bullet went through a window in the 6700 block of South Artesian Avenue and struck him while in a bedroom about 9:25 p.m., authorities said.

Foggey, of the 6900 block of South Artesian Avenue, was shot in the neck and died at the scene, authorities said.

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Sam Aguilar was shot on a sidewalk in the 6300 block of South Francisco Avenue about 2 a.m. Aguilar, of the 1500 block of West Walton Street, died later that day at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Authorities said 18-year-old Christian Alvarez, of the 5800 block of South Kedzie Avenue, and 31-year-old Antonio Castaneda, 6000 block of South Kedzie Avenue, were each inside a passing SUV from which the gunfire erupted. They were both charged with first-degree murder.

The first murder of the week happened when a gunman approached 34-year-old Demond Parnell outside his home in the 5400 block of North Kenmore Avenue about 10 p.m. Monday, authorities said. The gunman started a conversation then shot him in the chest, police said.

Additionally, Cook County Jail inmate Tony Purnell Wednesday from injuries suffered in a June 23 fight at the jail in the 2600 block of South Califorina Avenue, authorities said. The death was ruled a homicide.

Purnell had been in the jail since January on a disorderly conduct charge, which was dropped in June, according to the sheriff’s office. He was also charged with civil contempt in February.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 230 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including eight 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 some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Inmate Tony Purnell dies after jail fight

Michael Lansu — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 12:45:12 -0500

Tony Purnell / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

A Cook County Jail inmate has died a month after he was injured during a fight with another inmate.

Tony Purnell, 42, was hurt in the June 23 fight at Cook County Jail at 2600 S. California Ave., said Sophia Ansari, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff’s office.

Purnell died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County at 12:47 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found Purnell died of complications from craniocerebral injuries from an assault and the death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Purnell had been in the jail since January on a disorderly conduct charge, which was dropped in June, according to the sheriff's office. He was also charged with civil contempt in February.

Ansari said an investigation into the fight was ongoing, and no charges had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire