Trevolus Pickett | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: Shannon Williams shot Trevolus Pickett in the head, neck during Austin robbery

Michael Lansu — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 15:41:53 -0500

Shannon Williams / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

A traffic stop led police to the handgun Shannon Williams allegedly used to kill Trevolus Pickett during an April robbery in the Austin community, prosecutors said.

Pickett was with two friends in the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway when Williams approached with a loaded .38 caliber handgun and ordered the group into a gangway about 11:15 p.m. April 18, said Assistant State's Attorney Jamie Santini.

Williams, 23, ordered the all three men to give him their money and threatened, "I will pop you," Santini said.

All three men gave their money to Williams, who then shot Pickett in the neck and top of the head, Santini said. Williams and the other two robbery victims ran away after the shooting.

Pickett, 21, of the 8300 block of South Dorchester Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On April 24, Grand Crossing District officers responding to a call of shots fired saw Williams in a car attempting to flee the area, Santini said. Williams escaped, but officers recovered the .38 caliber handgun from the backseat.

The Illinois State Police crime lab determined that shell casings recovered at the scene where Pickett was murdered came from the gun recovered in the car a week later, Santini said.

Trevolus Pickett / Family photo

The other two robbery victims identified Williams in a photo array and an investigative alert was issued for his arrest, Santini said. Williams, of the 12200 block of South Harvard Street, was taken into custody May 30 and charged with first-degree murder, authorities said.

Williams appeared in court Monday wearing a white T-shirt, gray pants and white shoes. Judge Laura Sullivan ordered him held without bond and issued a next court date of June 20.

A public defender said Williams is a life-long Chicago resident who attended Dunbar Vocational Career Academy. He currently works in construction.

Shannon Williams charged with murder in April shooting death of Trevolus Pickett

Michael Lansu — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 17:07:47 -0500

Shannon Williams / Photo from Chicago Police

BY SAM CHARLES
Sun-Times Media

Shannon Williams has been charged with murder for allegedly shooting Trevolus Pickett during an April robbery in the Austin neighborhood.

Williams, 22, is accused of shooting Pickett in the head during an armed robbery in a gangway in the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway about 11:15 p.m. April 18.

Pickett, 20, of the 8300 block of South Dorchester Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Trevolus Pickett / Family photo

Chicago Police Fugitive Apprehension officers working with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force located Williams in the 700 block of East 50th Place and took him into custody without incident 1:45 p.m. May 30.

Williams, of the 12200 block of South Harvard Street, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, three counts of armed robbery with a firearm, police said.

Williams is scheduled to appear in bond court Monday.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine shot dead throughout the city

Michael Lansu — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 08:46:24 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were fatally shot throughout the city last week, and a 10th died from injuries suffered in an earlier shooting.

Eight of the murders happened during an especially violent weekend, which saw at least 37 other people wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murders happened when two men were fatally shot Sunday afternoon in the Little Village neighborhood.

Juan Ocon, 32, and Timmy Bermudez, 19, were riding in a Lincoln Navigator when they were shot about 1 p.m. near West 28th Street and South Sawyer Avenue, authorities said.

An orange Hummer blocked the SUV at the intersection then two gunmen exited and fired nearly a dozen shots at the vehicle, police said. Ocon was shot in the head and died at the scene. Bermudez was shot in the chest and died less than 20 minutes later at Mount Sinai Hospital.

In the Garfield Ridge community, A Chicago Police officer and her husband, a Cook County Sheriff’s correctional officer, were found dead in their home in the 5300 block of South Austin Avenue in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities said.

The correctional officer apparently shot his wife before shooting himself, said Cook County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Cara Smith. The bodies were discovered about 5 a.m. Sunday.

The couple has been identified as Javier and Veronica Acevedo, both 50, authorities said. Autopsies are scheduled for later Monday.

On Saturday, the bodies of 18-year-old Anthony Bankhead and 16-year-old Jordan Means were discovered in Bankhead's home in the 8200 block of South Houston Avenue about 10:40 a.m.

Both teens had been shot and were dead on the scene, authorities said.

Means lived nearby in the 8100 block of South Coles Avenue, authorities said. His mother, Camille Cochran, said the shooter and her son had exchanged words on Facebook. Police would not confirm her account.

In East Garfield Park, 42-year-old Darren Ray shot multiple times in an alley in the 2900 block of West Flournoy Street about 9:30 a.m., authorities said.

Ray, of the 3000 block of West Flournoy Street, was declared dead at Mount Sinai Hospital about an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the West Town community, 19-year-old Nicholas Ramirez was fatally shot in the 1600 block of West Hubbard Street after crashing the vehicle he was driving during a chase about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

After the crash, at least one person in the second vehicle shot Ramirez in the head and legs, authorities said. The second vehicle then fled east on Hubbard Street.

Ramirez, of the 3900 block of South Rockwell Street, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Friday, 20-year-old Trevolus Pickett was fatally shot in a gangway in the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway about 11:15 p.m., authorities said.

Pickett, 8300 block of South Dorchester Avenue, was shot in the head and died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Tuesday, 16-year-old Keno Glass was was walking on a sidewalk in the 7600 block of North Ashland Avenue when a gray minivan drove past and someone inside shot him about 2:40 a.m., authorities said.

Glass, of the 3500 block of West Walnut Street, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Additionally, 22-year-old Andres Servantes died last Monday from gunshot wounds suffered April 11 in the 8100 block of South Kilpatrick Avenue, authorities said.

Servantes, of the 4000 block of West 58th Place, was sitting in a vehicle when a light-colored van approached and somebody inside opened fire, authorities said. Servantes was shot in the head and shoulders and died three days later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled 95 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including four 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 five of the homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Trevolus Pickett shot dead in Austin gangway

Michael Lansu — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 10:13:56 -0500

Trevolus Pickett was shot to death Friday night in the Austin neighborhood.

The 20-year-old man was standing in a gangway in the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway when someone shot him in the head about 11:15 p.m. Friday, police said.

Photo from NVP News Video

Pickett, of the 8300 block of South Dorchester Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 12:05 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