McArthur Swindle / Family photo

BY BECKY SCHLIKERMAN
Chicago Sun-Times

A Chicago rapper related to prominent rapper Lil Durk was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in the Chatham neighborhood.

McArthur Swindle, 21, was sitting in a sport-utility vehicle in the 700 block of East 87th Street about 3:20 p.m. Saturday when someone walked up and fatally shot Swindle, authorities said.

Swindle — called Nunu by his family — went by the name Nuski as a rapper.

The police said the shooting might have been gang-related. An aunt said Swindle wasn’t involved in gangs.

Swindle’s death came as he was working on new music.

“This was going to be his big breakout project,” said Merk Murphy, who runs a studio where Swindle was recording the new tracks.

Like many of his contemporaries, Swindle’s drill rap focused on his life. His songs were energetic, focused on having a good time and his relationship to the people close to him, Murphy said.

“He was one of those kids who saw an opportunity to put himself in a better position with his music,” Murphy said.

Swindle was working with his cousin Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, who was trying to get him noticed, Murphy said.

Swindle, who lived in Englewood, was also taking college classes in Joliet, according to his aunt, Sherri Swindle.

She said her nephew’s father also was shot to death, in 1995.

“It needs to stop,” the aunt, 43, said. “He was a good person. He was a kindhearted person. He had a lot of soul.”

Swindle had a young daughter, family members said.

-- Contributing: Luke Wilusz

De Angelo Russell was shot to death Saturday night in the South Chicago neighborhood.

Russell, 33, was walking with a friend in the 2600 block of East 83rd Street when at least one gunman walked up and fired shots about 10:15 p.m., authorities said.

Russell, of the 8200 block of South Marquette Avenue, was shot in the thigh, leg and arm and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Russell’s friend was not injured in the shooting, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

Scene where Nicholas Keener was fatally shot / Photo by NVP News Video

Nicholas Keener was killed in a drive-by shooting Saturday night in the Irving Park neighborhood.

Keener, 16, was walking with a group in the 3800 block of North St. Louis Avenue when shots were fired from a passing vehicle about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Keener, of the 4800 block of North Hamlin Avenue, was shot in the chest and died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center at 11:08 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating if the shooting is gang related.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Scene where Donald Williams was fatally shot / Photo by NVP News Video

Donald Williams was killed early Sunday in an Austin neighborhood shooting that left five females wounded.

The six were standing in a group near North Lavergne Avenue and West Ferdinand Street when several gunmen emerged from a nearby alley and opened fire about 12:30 a.m., police said.

Williams, 17, of the 3000 block of West Dickens Street, was shot in the back and died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 1:19 a.m., authorities said.

The other five people shot were all females.

Two teenage girls, 14 and 17, were shot in the buttocks and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said. Two women, both 19, were also wounded. One was shot in the thigh and taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and the other was shot in the arm and showed up at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.

A 22-year-old woman was struck by several “bullet fragments” in her back, police said. She was taken to West Suburban Medical Center.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

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.

Denero Appleton was killed in a Sunday night shooting in the South Deering neighborhood.

Appleton, 31, was standing outside in the 9600 block of South Brennan Avenue when several people walked up and opened fire at 8:48 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Appleton, of the 9900 block of South Calhoun Avenue, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The gunmen ran off after the shooting and nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Erik Kall was shot and killed Sunday night in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood.

Kall, 27, was shot multiple times in the 6200 block of South Francisco Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Kall, of the 5100 block of South Moody Avenue, died at Holy Cross Hospital about 20 minutes later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Chicago had the exact same number of murders in the first five months of 2014 as it did through the same period last year, police said.

Forty-two people were murdered in the city in May, raising the total number of killings to 137 -- the same as in 2013 and a 34 percent decrease from the 207 slayings through the unusually violent first five months of 2012, police said.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office, which counts murders different, has ruled 155 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including seven people killed by officers. Police have ruled the other homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

"We continue to build on our comprehensive violence reduction strategy, putting more officers on the street in summer months, proactively intervening in gang conflicts, and partnering with community leaders, and our officers are supported by the city's strengthened investments in prevention programs for at-risk youth," Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said in a statement.

Of the 42 May murders, 37 were males and five were females. Thirty-six of the murders were shootings and two were stabbings. The other four were beating, child abuse, strangulation and intentionally striking a person with a vehicle.

The youngest murder victim last month was 3-year-old Ashley Mendoza and the oldest was 58-year-old Betty Howard. Three of the victims were over the age of 50 -- Charles D. Short, 51, Rickey Hayes, 55 and Howard.

The Austin community had the most murders last month with six. The Chatham community recorded five.

Despite the city recording the same number of murders as last year, the 840 people shot in the first five months of the year is an 11 percent increase from the 754 people shot during the same time last year, police said. There were 1,031 people shot through May 2012.

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Fourteen people were murdered throughout Chicago last week -- including two people in their 50s.

Nine of the murders happened on South Side, four on the West Side and one on the North Side. The Austin community had the most killings last week with three.

The most recent murder happened when 27-year-old Erik Kall was shot multiple times in the 6200 block of South Francisco Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Kall, of the 5100 block of South Moody Avenue, died at Holy Cross Hospital about 20 minutes later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the South Deering community, 31-year-old Denero Appleton was shot while standing outside in the 9600 block of South Brennan Avenue when several people walked up and opened fire at 8:48 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Appleton, of the 9900 block of South Calhoun Avenue, died later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Austin community, 17-year-old Donald Williams was standing with a group of females near North Lavergne Avenue and West Ferdinand Street when several gunmen emerged from a nearby alley and opened fire about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Williams, of the 3000 block of West Dickens Street, was shot in the back and died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 1:19 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. Two teenage girls and three women were also wounded.

On Saturday, 16-year-old Nicholas Keener was walking with a group in the 3800 block of North St. Louis Avenue in the Irving Park community when shots were fired from a passing vehicle about 10:30 p.m., authorities said.

Keener, of the 4800 block of North Hamlin Avenue, was shot in the chest and died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center less than an hour later, authorities said.

In the South Chicago neighborhood, 33-year-old De Angelo Russell was walking with a friend in the 2600 block of East 83rd Street when at least one gunman walked up and fired shots about 10:15 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Russell, of the 8200 block of South Marquette Avenue, was shot in the thigh, leg and arm and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Chatham neighborhood, 21-year-old McArthur Swindle was sitting in a sport-utility vehicle in the 700 block of East 87th Street when someone walked up and fatally shot him about 3:20 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Swindle — who went by the name Nuski as a rapper— was a relative of prominent Chicago rapper Lil Durk.

On Friday, 51-year-old Charles D. Short was standing with another man in the 4200 block of South Princeton Avenue in the Fuller Park neighborhood when a vehicle drove up and a male exited and started shooting in their direction about 6:30 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Short, 51, of the 6700 block of South Indiana Avenue, was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Thursday, 19-year-old Malcolm Stuckey was on a porch in the 5700 block of South La Salle Street in the Englewood neighborhood when someone walked out of a gangway and fired shots about 6:10 p.m., authorities said.

Stuckey, 19, of the 16000 block of Carrington Drive in South Holland, was shot in the head and declared dead at 10:35 p.m., authorities said. Two other men, 23 and 24, were also wounded in the shooting.

On the South Side, 58-year-old Betty Howard was shot in the head in the 700 block of East 79th Street about 5:25 p.m. Thursday, authorities said. Howard, of of the 2200 block of South 14th Avenue in Broadview, died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital less than an hour later.

Howard was a special education teacher Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep and was working her second job in her Chatham real estate office when she was shot.

In the South Shore neighborhood, 21-year-old Craig Mitchell was shot multiple times in the 2400 block of East 74th Street about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, authorities said. He was declared dead on the scene.

On Tuesday, 21-year-old Paul Pyron was driving a black Ford Expedition in the 2300 block of West 80th Street in the Ashburn neighborhood when two people approached and shot him during a carjacking about 10:25 p.m., authorities said.

Pyron died later that night at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner's office.

Friends said Pyron was an aspiring rapper who was always telling jokes.

On Monday, 33-year-old Monte Tillman was fatally shot about 3:15 p.m. in the 5200 block of West Lake Street in the Austin community, authorities said. Tillman, of the 1100 block of Thomas Avenue in Forest Park, died about an hour later at Stroger Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Tillman’s cousin, the Rev. Ezra Tillman of First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, Mich., said Monte Tillman got involved in Chicago’s gang culture and the family was “hurt but not shocked” to learn of his death.

In the East Garfield Park neighborhood, police found 47-year-old Vincent Simmons in a vacant apartment in the the 2800 block of West Arthington Street about 7:15 a.m. Monday, authorities said. Simmons and a 43-year-old man were each stabbed and shot in the head.

Simmons, of the 2700 block of West Harrison Street, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. The other man survived, police said.

The killings started when 25-year-old Lance Stanton was shot 5400 block of West Haddon Avenue in the Austin neighborhood about 1 a.m., authorities said. Stanton, who lived on the block, died at Stroger Hospital.

Nobody has been charged in any of the murders.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 156 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including seven 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, recorded 134 murders through May, ruling the other homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Tyneil Washington / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

A "distinctive tattoo" led police to a Champaign man who allegedly fatally shot 66-year-old Gold Coast shop owner Herbert Goode in early March in the Gage Park area.

Goode owns a warehouse in the 2300 block of West 57th Street and had just finished collecting rents from his tenants when he got into a struggle outside the building with 29-year-old Tyneil Washington about 2 p.m. May 1, said Assistant State's Attorney Alexandra Molesky.

A witnesses working on his truck outside the warehouse saw the struggle, which ended when Goode exited his vehicle and Washington shot him multiple times, Molesky said. Washington fled after the shooting.

Goode died a short time later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was the owner of Silver Cloud Gallery at 20 W. Ohio St., authorities said

Chicago Police got a physical description of Washington that included a "distinctive tattoo" on his neck, Molesky said. A police sketch released in May said the shooter had a tattoo on the right side of his neck that may have the word “PAM” with a ribbon underneath.

Washington also has the words "Cut Throat" tattooed on his neck above a tattoo of a bleeding slash wound.

Investigators learned Washington made statements admitting to the murder and an arrest warrant was issued in May, Molesky said.

The Champaign Police Department then contacted Chicago Police to let detectives know Washington lived in the area, Chicago Police said. He was arrested in Chicago last Thursday after a joint investigation involving the two departments and the U.S. Marshal’s office.

Washington, 29, of Champaign, was charged with first-degree murder. Washington was being held at Cook County Jail on a $5 million warrant, but Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered him held without bond during a Monday hearing.

A public defender said Washington was raised in Chicago, but has been living in Champaign the past five years. He has been working for a company that makes car bumpers.

Washington will be back in court June 19.

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 Peggy Chiampas 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.

Maurice Paschal was fatally stabbed during a May 22 domestic dispute. Reader "Tiara A" posted this about him:

Maurice I'm sorry this happened to you. My heart goes out to your daughter because she lost both parents that night. Love you.

David M. Hernandez has died after being shot Sunday night in the Bridgeport neighborhood.

Hernandez, 25, was in the 900 block of West 92nd Place when a blue vehicle drove up and an occupant got out and opened fire about 5:40 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

He was shot twice in the head, police said. The shooter then got back into the vehicle and drove away.

Hernandez, of the 6000 block of South Lorel Avenue, was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m. Monday at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating if the shooting was gang related.

Kenneth Anthony was fatally shot May 24 in the Englewood neighborhood. Reader "Take Notes" posted this about him:

He was my friend at one point a lover he always looked out for me and was by my side no matter what. I loved him just saw him last week its like this ain't real I just wanna wake up. Where do god be at I thought he was supposed to love us and protect us where he at I'm so tired of this shit. I love u ken aka stunna I a c u again someday kid I will....

Darrien Jordan was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon in the North Lawndale neighborhood.

Jordan, 21, was shot in the abdomen just before 1:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of West Grenshaw Street, authorities said.

Jordan, who lived on the block, died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 4 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

BY JESSICA KOSCIELNIAK AND EMILY BROSIOUS
Homicide Watch Chicago

Ja-Quez Williams wanted to become a police officer to stop the violence in his Austin community, his family said.

The violence Ja-Quez, 17, longed to stop took his life before he ever got that chance when he was fatally shot in the head in the 5500 block of West North Avenue about 2:05 a.m. April 26, authorities said.

“He was a beautiful, vibrant person -- full of life,” said his grandmother, Inez Williams said. “It was a senseless thing, I really don’t understand. No children should be gunned down like cattle.”

Inez Williams raised her grandson from a young age, she said. The two shared a bedroom and prayed together at the end of the day.

Each night before drifting off to sleep he’d say, “Goodnight grandma,” Inez Williams said.

Prosecutors said Frederick Woods-Rivas, 23, walked up to a group standing outside and shot Ja-Quez in the back of the head. Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered Woods-Rivas held without bond.

Ja-Quez, of the 5400 block of West North Avenue, died at the scene, according to Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Ja-Quez had gone out to get a submarine sandwich and was waiting for his uncle to pick him up when he was gunned down, his grandmother said.

Inez Williams said the neighborhood is infested with gang activity, but claims Ja-Quez was not a gang member.

She has been weary of the gun violence in her neighborhood, but never expected it to affect her directly.

“Older guys, the ones that run the area over there, tased him and threw him in a car and tried to make him and the younger boys do things,” Inez Williams said. “They tell them they won’t go to jail because they’re minors.”

Inez Williams said her grandson wasn't a violent person and was afraid of the gang members who threatened him for trying to avoid the gang lifestyle.

“There’s just too much violence and kids shouldn’t have to live like that," she said. "It’s so prevalent in the city."

After the shooting, Mayor Rahm Emanuel called Inez Williams with condolences for the loss of her grandson, she said.

“I was surprised he called because I was feeling so hurt and I didn’t know really which way to turn,” she said. “He said when children are getting gunned down like that, we’ve got to do something together.”

Inez Williams hopes Emanuel can develop strategies to stop the violence.

"Young people with guns need to understand the real impact of their actions and empathize with the pain they cause victims’ family and loved ones," she said.

Lance Stanton was fatally shot May 26 in the Austin neighborhood. Reader "mfreeny222" post this about the murder:

Rest In heaven to my cousin in-law Leon on the loss of his brother Lance Stanton, my cousin Lolita on the loss of her brother in-law and my lil cousins Ebonee and Jada on their loss of their uncle and the rest of the Stanton family...may God give them strength at this difficult time....All this killing needs to stop..God bless..

Darrien Jordan / Photo from Facebook

BY EMILY BROSIOUS
Homicide Watch Chicago

Darrien Jordan was "planning a big change in his life," a long-time friend said.

Jordan's life was cut short before he had the chance when he was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon during a fight near his home in the 3900 block of West Grenshaw Street, authorities said.

“Darrien was funny, goofy, outgoing," said close friend Savoia Johnson. “He was somebody that made you smile.

“He wanted to move away from the city and start fresh. He really didn’t deserve this."

Johnson claims Jordan, 21, didn’t deal drugs, wasn’t involved in gang activity and was shot because of "crazy argument."

Chicago Police are questioning a "person of interest" Wednesday afternoon. Johnson said she knows the gunman in question, but doesn't know why he pulled the trigger.

“Darrien and him were friends, buddies. I knew both of them,” Johnson said. “That’s why it’s so hard to believe he shot him. You always think it’s going to be a stranger, not someone you know, not a friend.”

Jordan and Johnson went to Frasier Grammar School together and remained close friends since childhood. Jordan had recently quit drinking and smoking in an attempt to "turn his life around" and achieve his goals.

“It’s hard because he was going down a tough road for so long, and when he finally started making positive changes and turning his life around, he gets killed for nothing,” Johnson said.

He loved music, spending time outside and could often be found entertaining friends with freestyle rhymes, she said.

“He mostly did [freestyle] to make people laugh, but he was great,” Johnson said. “He freestyled about life. It was really like a work of art.”

This isn’t the first time 19-year-old Johnson has been personally touched by Chicago’s gun violence, and knew many people who have been victims.

“I’m shook up. I honestly feel like the world is coming to an end,” Johnson said. “The violence is everywhere.”

Matthew Jackson / Photo from Chicago Police

BY LEEANN SHELTON
Sun-Times Media

Matthew X. Jackson has been charged with murder for allegedly shooting rapper Twista’s security guard Davy Easterling in February in the South Chicago neighborhood.

Emergency crews found Easterling, 31, about 6 a.m. Feb. 21 after a fire at a 2 1/2 story apartment building in the 8300 block of South Baker Avenue, authorities said.

The fire started in the rear bedroom, where Easterling was found with gunshot wounds to the throat and chest, authorities said.

Easterling, of the 8100 block of South Vernon Avenue, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy confirmed he died of multiple gunshot wounds and the death was ruled a homicide.

Davy Easterling / Photo from Twitter

Two days before Easterling was found, rapper Twista posted on social media that “a close friend” and security guard was missing.

Police said authorities identified Jackson, 25, as the shooter and charged him with one count each of first-degree murder and armed robbery. Jackson, of the 8000 block of South Champlain Avenue, will appear in court for a bond hearing Thursday.

Ronald Holliman was killed in a Wednesday evening shooting in the Austin community that left two other people wounded.

Holliman, 18, was with two other men were in the 4900 block of West West End Avenue when a group of males exited a vehicle and opened fire from an alley about 5 p.m., authorities said.

Holliman, of the 5200 block of West Race Avenue, was shot in the left buttocks, left thigh and right knee, authorities said. He died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 6:28 p.m.

Two other men in the group were wounded by the gunfire. A 21-year-old was shot in the left arm, left leg and abdomen area and a 26-year-old was shot twice in the chest and once in the side, police said.

A police source said the 19- and 26-year-old are documented gang members.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire