Suspect questioned in Boystown murder, Oakland slaying that occured barely 36 hours after prosecutors dropped felony charge he faced – CWB Chicago

A Rogers Park man is being questioned in reference to the homicide and carjacking of a person in Boystown on February 11 and the separate killing of one other sufferer within the Oakland neighborhood lower than an hour later, CWB Chicago has realized. Court docket information present the murders occurred barely 36 hours after prosecutors dropped a felony case the 18-year-old suspect was going through.

CWB Chicago will not be naming the person as a result of he has not but been charged in reference to the homicide and carjacking of Darwin Tirado, 22, shortly earlier than 4 a.m. on February 11 within the 700 block of West Waveland Avenue, or the killing lower than an hour later of Damon Kellum, 45, within the 3700 block of South Lake Park Avenue.

We had been first to report that Kellum was present in or close to Tirado’s hijacked Hyundai Sonata, main police to shortly hyperlink the 2 crimes. Two extra carjackings adopted the murders, and Chicago Police Division sources initially believed these incidents had been additionally linked to the slayings.

In line with police, Tirado and one other man had been sitting contained in the Hyundai when two armed carjackers approached, displayed handguns, and demanded the car and the victims’ belongings. The offenders then opened fireplace, putting Tirdado within the again, and driving away with the Hyundai.

Shortly after 4 a.m., a Chicago Police Division license plate reader detected the stolen Hyundai touring within the 100 block of West thirty first Road, a supply mentioned.

About 45 minutes later and roughly two miles away, officers situated the Hyundai deserted within the 3700 block of South Lake Park Avenue after a passerby discovered Kellum mendacity unresponsive in or close to the car. He had been shot within the head.

Along with questioning the Rogers Park man, detectives have additionally been interviewing a juvenile, in keeping with regulation enforcement sources.

Court docket information present Skokie police arrested the grownup suspect in December after he was allegedly discovered using as a passenger in a stolen Hyundai Tucson. He was additionally accused of possessing three grams of suspected crack cocaine.

Charged with felony possession of a managed substance and misdemeanor felony trespass to a car, he was launched from custody three days later after showing earlier than a decide. On the afternoon of February 9, throughout his fourth court docket look, prosecutors dropped each expenses, court docket information present.

The precise purpose for that call will not be clear from the court docket file. The Prepare dinner County State’s Lawyer’s Workplace didn’t reply to an e-mail looking for clarification on Friday afternoon.

Earlier court docket information present that at a listening to 5 days earlier than the case was dropped, lab assessments on the suspected cocaine, a essential step required to proceed with a drug possession cost, had not come again.

Different information point out the person had contact with Chicago police as a juvenile, however the extent and nature of these occasions are usually not publicly accessible.

Extra carjackings potential

Police had been investigating the likelihood that the killers obtained one other car after abandoning Tirado’s car on Lake Park: a grey Nissan sedan bearing Colorado license plates. Precisely the place they received it was unclear, however across the time officers had been discovering Kellum’s physique, two carjackers drove the Nissan onto a gasoline station lot close to forty third Road and Wentworth Avenue and tried to hijack a person who was inside a pink Lexus.

The meant sufferer sped away earlier than the hijackers may take his automobile. Surveillance video from the gasoline station supplied the police with the perfect have a look at the suspects thus far: two males of unknown race dressed fully in black. The passenger was armed and wore a camouflage ski masks.

About 5:15 a.m., the pair struck once more, this time close to 87th Road and Lafayette Avenue, the place they focused a CTA employee who was heading house after ending his shift on the close by Crimson Line station.

In line with a preliminary CPD report, the offenders used the Nissan with Colorado plates to dam the CTA worker’s car. They deserted the Nissan, bodily attacked the CTA employee, and robbed him at gunpoint earlier than driving off in his silver 2025 Chevrolet Malibu. EMS transported the sufferer to St. Bernard Hospital for remedy.

Authentic reporting you’ll see nowhere else, paid for by our readers. Click on right here to assist our work.