Christopher Cage / Photo from Chicago Police

Christopher Cage has been charged with murder for a West Pullman shooting that left Mayron Collier dead and another man critically wounded early Thursday, authorities said.

Collier, 24, and the other man were both shot in the head near East 119th Street and South Yale Avenue about 2:05 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Collier, of the 10000 block of South Pulaski Road, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The other man, 29, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment, police said.

Cage, 27, of the 300 block of West 109th Place, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, police said. He is scheduled to appear in court Saturday for a bond hearing.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Leanrew Harper was fatally shot in the West Englewood neighborhood Friday night.

Police found Harper, 34, outside in the 7000 block of South Honore Street about 5:40 p.m., authorities said.

Harper, who lived on the block, had been shot multiple times and died at the scene, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

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

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Gabriel Guardiola / Photo from Chicago Police

BY LEEANN SHELTON
Sun-Times Media

Gabriel Guardiola was convicted of murder Friday for shooting a friend who refused to get into his car after a night at a strip club.

Guardiola, 38, was found guilty of first-degree murder Friday for the shooting that killed Cicero resident Ricardo Rivera early Feb. 24, 2013 according to court records.

Prosecutors said the pair belonged to the same motorcycle club, and Guardiola had picked up Rivera hours earlier so they could go to a strip club.

After leaving the club, Guardiola got into his car as Rivera walked ahead down the street, prosecutors said.

Guardiola told his friend to get into his car, and eventually called a mutual friend where he said what he would do to Rivera if Rivera kept walking along Cicero Avenue, prosecutors said.

Rivera, 31, called the same friend before walking to a parking lot in the 100 block of South Cicero Avenue, where Guardiola got out of his car, shot Rivera in the head and drove away, prosecutors said.

Rivera, of the 4900 block of West 23rd Place in Cicero, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Surveillance cameras captured Guardiola firing the weapon, prosecutors said.

Ricardo Rivera

Police allegedly found a gun in Guardiola’s residence in the 1500 block of North Monticello Avenue and gunshot residue on his clothing, prosecutors said.

At the time of his arrest, Guardiola was a married father of six and worked as a custodian at Lane Tech College Prep, according to a public defender.

He was convicted following a week-long jury trial, and will next appear in court March 16, court records show.

Savoy Young was fatally shot in the South Chicago neighborhood Saturday morning.

Police responding to a call of shots fired found Young in an alley in the 8100 block of South Chappel Avenue about 11:15 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Young, 22, of the 8200 block of South Luella Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at the scene, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Chicago averaged nearly a murder per day in the first month of the new year.

Police reported 28 murders in January 2015, a 40 percent increase compared to the 20 last January, when the city had the fewest January murders since 1964.

While January slayings were up compared to last year, they were significantly down compared to the 40 killings in 2013 and the 38 in 2012, according to police data.

The North Lawndale and South Shore communities each had three slayings last month, the most of any community.

The number of January shooting victims also increased compared to last year.

Police reported 144 shooting victims in 121 shooting incidents last month, a 36 percent increase compared to the 106 shooting victims in January 2014.

Much like murders, the number of shooting victims was down compared to the 190 people shot in January 2013, 167 people shot in January 2012 and 161 people shot in January 2011, according to police data.

"By partnering closely with residents and community leaders, putting more officers on the street in high crime areas and proactively intervening in gang conflicts, together we have made significant progress in reducing crime over the past two years -- but there is clearly more to be done," police Supt. Garry McCarthy said in a statement.

Antonio Gamboa was stabbed to death during a Super Bowl party Sunday night on the Near South Side.

Gamboa, 23, was at the party in the 2300 block of South Michigan Avenue when a couple began to argue, authorities said.

When Gamboa attempted to stop the argument, the man stabbed him in the abdomen, authorities said.

Gamboa, of the 1600 block of North Kimball Avenue, died at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The 28-year-old attacker was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with stab wounds, police said. Charges were pending Monday morning.

Nobody else was injured during the fight.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Five men were shot to death and another was fatally stabbed last week in Chicago.

The most recent killing happened when 23-year-old Antonio Gamboa was stabbed at a Super Bowl party in the 2300 block of South Michigan Avenue when he tried to break up a fight between an arguing couple, authorities said.

Gamboa, of the 1600 block of North Kimball Avenue, died at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, 22-year-old Savoy Young was shot multiple times in an alley in the 8100 block of South Chappel Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood about 11:15 a.m., authorities said.

Young, of the 8200 block of South Luella Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Friday, 34-year-old Leanrew Harper was shot multiple times in the 7000 block of South Honore Street in West Englewood about 5:40 p.m., authorities said.

Harper, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Thursday, 20-year-old Israel Pena was shot in the chest in the 1200 block of West 32nd Street in Bridgeport about 3 a.m., authorities said.

Pena, of the 800 block of Montague Street in Rockford, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the West Pullman neighborhood, 24-year-old Mayron Collier shot in the head near East 119th Street and South Yale Avenue about 2:05 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Collier, of the 10000 block of South Pulaski Road, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 29-year-old man was also wounded in the shooting, police said.

Christopher Cage, 27, of the 300 block of West 109th Place, was charged with first-degree murder in Collier's death, police said.

The killings started when 23-year-old Angelo Porter was shot in the head while walking in the 600 block of East 51st Street about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Porter, of an unidentified home address, later died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Additionally, 39-year-old Alexander Villafane, of the 2300 block of South St. Louis Avenue, died Tuesday after being wounded during a Jan. 25 drive-by shooting in the 3500 block of West 24th Street, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 29 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different by following federal guidelines, reported 28 January murders, a 40 percent increase compared to January 2014, but a decrease compared to 2012 and 2013.

Tyree Harris, 18, was fatally shot Jan. 23 in the Chicago Lawn community. Reader "Mrs. Rayfield" posted this about him:

This was a good kid. He always work hard in my class and was a promising student. He had a sweet disposition and was extremely respectful. I am truly heartbroken.

Abraham Burgo has died after being shot last month in the North Lawndale community.

Burgo, 35, was shot in the neck in the 1500 block of South Trumbull Avenue about 5:20 p.m. Jan. 23, authorities said.

Burgo, of the 400 block of Devonshire Court in Bolingbrook, was initially taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died on Sunday, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

An Monday autopsy confirmed Burgo died from the gunshot to the neck and the death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Antonio Gamoba / Photo from GoFundMe.com

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A local personal trainer allegedly stabbed a musician to death and injured two women at a Super Bowl party because they tried to help the girlfriend he roughed up during the festivities on the Near South Side.

Aaron Rutigliano shoved Antonio Gamboa up against the wall in the apartment in the 2300 block of South Michigan Avenue and stabbed him over a dozen times Sunday night, Assistant State’s Attorney Jaimie Santini said.

Gamboa and other partygoers had tried to come to the aide of Rutigliano’s girlfriend after Rutigliano grabbed the woman's arm, neck and hair before shoving her to the ground, Santini said.

The girlfriend screamed for help as Rutigliano stood over her, Santini said.

Rutigliano first stabbed the women who tried to help, slashing them with a knife he had hidden in his pocket, Santini said.

One woman was wounded in the wrist and the other was struck in her side.

When Gamboa tried to stop the altercation, Rutigliano allegedly stabbed him five times in the chest, twice in the neck, four times in the back and twice in the left eye.

Another partygoer tried to subdue the 29-year-old Rutigliano, but he kept fighting back and threatened the rest of the guests by telling them, “I’m going to kill you all,” prosecutors said.

That partygoer and another man were eventually able to stab Rutigliano inside the apartment, Santini said.

Rutigliano, originally from Lagrangeville, N.Y., was held down by some guests before the police arrived.

Rutigliano did not appear in bond court Tuesday because he was recuperating from his wounds at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Rutigliano held in lieu of $1 million bond on murder and aggravated battery charges.

Rutigliano is a personal trainer at an XSport gym and is a door host at Ala Carte Entertainment, his LinkedIn Page said.

Gamboa was in the local band Sarin, according to a GoFundMe page set up to pay for his funeral expenses.

Gamboa was remembered by friends as the “life of the party” who always made everyone smile and laugh.

“If you knew Tony, you knew he was a tender loving butterfly. Tony would always put others before himself.... He passed away a hero,” the GoFundMe page said.

“He helped anyone who needed a hand even if they were complete strangers and that cost him his life.”

-- Contributing: Michael Lansu

A 50-year-old woman was found beaten and stabbed to death inside her Grand Boulevard home Monday morning.

Relatives found Linda Sanders dead inside her home in the 400 block of East 48th Place about 8:45 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

A Tuesday autopsy determined Sanders died from multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which ruled her death a homicide.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Savoy Young, 22, was fatally shot Jan. 31 in the South Chicago neighborhood. Reader "Diamond" posted this about him:

RIP Savoy. He lived two houses down from me and we graduated 8th together at Edward Coles. He has a 4yr old daughter who will miss him dearly. God has u now Savoy. Look down on Sophie and guide her with your presence. Peace and Love.

Diamond

Cierra Moore was fatally stabbed Saturday afternoon during a fight at a Roseland gas station.

Moore, 27, was stabbed in the leg during a domestic fight at a gas station in the 10000 block of South Michigan Avenue about 2:35 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Emergency personnel found Moore unresponsive inside the vehicle about a block away, authorities said.

Moore, of the 3400 block of Hazel Lane in Hazel Crest, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she died at 11:33 p.m. Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A Wednesday autopsy confirmed Moore died of a stab wound to the leg and the death was ruled a homicide.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Dwight Brown / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MITCHELL ARMENTROUT
Sun-Times Media

Dwight Brown beat his 60-year-old mother to death then hacked up her body with a knife as she attempted to prepare him dinner in her Grand Boulevard home, prosecutors said.

Linda Sanders' husband found her dead in a pool of blood in the hallway of their home in the 400 block of East 48th Place about 8:45 a.m. Monday, prosecutors said.

Sanders' husband had left the home about 5 p.m. Sunday to go work his overnight job, prosecutors said. As he left, Brown arrived to visit his mother.

When the man got to work he called his wife, who said she was making dinner for her son, who would leave after the meal, prosecutors said.

The man tried calling Sanders "numerous" times late Sunday and early Monday, but she never answered the phone, prosecutors said.

When found on Monday, the couple's 24th anniversary, her face was "battered almost beyond recognition," prosecutors said.

An autopsy determined Sanders died of multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Authorities described the facial injuries as “hacking” with a heavy object, prosecutors said.

When police went to Brown's apartment in the 6200 block of South Dorchester Avenue they found him lying in bed in his blood-soaked clothes next to a bloody knife, prosecutors said.

Sanders’ house and car keys were found in her son’s coat, and $160 in cash she saved for an anniversary celebration were found in his bloody pants, prosecutors said.

Brown, 40, was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, police said. He was ordered held without bond will be back in court Feb. 23.

Curtis Lyons was fatally shot in an Ashburn shooting that left another man wounded Wednesday afternoon.

The men were shot in the 3100 block of West 84th Place about 3:10 p.m., authorities said.

Lyons, 20, of the 8000 block of South Richmond Street, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Another man, 19, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY EMILY BROSIOUS
Homicide Watch Chicago

Rayvon Little left his Minnesota home as a teenager to come live with his grandmother in Englewood, family said.

Christine Little said her grandson was a quiet young man who often spent his time at home reading or watching Christian television with her.

Christine Little said she was close to her grandson, and when she recently encouraged him to go visit his family in Minnesota he requested she accompany him.

Rayvon Little, 20, never got the chance to return to Minnesota because he was fatally shot Nov. 1, 2014, in the 6700 block of South Morgan Street.

Authorities said Little was outside when somebody in a passing group opened fire. Little was shot multiple times and died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Another man, 19, was shot in the leg but survived.

Rayvon Little, who attended a local alternative high school, enjoyed riding his bicycle through the neighborhood and playing basketball and football at local parks, his grandmother said.

At home, Rayvon Little would "read for hours" and wanted to become a teacher, his grandmother said.

Family friend Kendall Richardson said Rayvon Little wanted to earn his GED because "he saw what was going on around in the streets."

"He wanted to better himself, but I guess it was too little too late," said Richardson, who added "it can happen to anybody [in this neighborhood]".

Rayvon Little / Photo from Facebook

Christine Little said her grandson was out when the gunfire erupted, but she never thought it was him who was shot.

Immediately after the shooting, Christine Little said she went to the front windows, but she was unable to get a good look because the windows were being replaced and were covered with plastic.

"I didn't think it was my baby," Christine Little said. "I went to the window and peeped underneath [the plastic] and saw a guy running."

Christine Little said nobody knocked on her door to tell her it was her grandson who was killed until after police left.

"I was shocked that this happened, especially with him," Davis said. "He was so quiet and low key. I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to do something that terrible to him."

Nobody has been charged for the murder. Area South detectives are investigating.

Omar Dixon / Photo from Chicago Police

Omar Dixon has been charged with murder in the January shooting death of Terrence Harris in the Ashburn neighborhood.

Harris, 24, was walking through a gangway in the 8100 block of South Artesian Avenue when Dixon approached with a gun, announced a robbery and shot Harris in the chest about 5:50 p.m. Jan. 14, authorities said.

Terrence Harris, of the 9200 block of South Elizabeth Avenue, was declared dead minutes later at the University of Chicago Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Dixon, 23, of the 3500 block of West 83rd Place, was arrested in Madison, Wis. on murder and armed robbery charges, police said. He was extradited to Chicago this week and is scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing Friday.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Prosecutors claim Aaron Rutigliano fatally stabbed Antonio Gamboa Feb. 1 after Gamboa attempted to break up a fight at a Super Bowl party between Rutigliano and his girlfriend. Reader Maxine Kao posted this about the attack:

Or how about we learn to not beat our girlfriends and violently stab people that are courageous enough to do the right thing? Antonio Gamboa is a hero and I know his story will not deter me from stepping in if I witness the same thing. If we fail to protect those that cannot protect themselves because we are afraid, then we are failing ourselves and humanity.

Joshua Poe / Photo from Chicago Police

Joshua Poe has been charged with murder in an Ashburn shooting that left Curtis Lyons dead Wednesday afternoon.

Poe, 26, is accused of shooting Lyons and another man during an argument in the 3100 block of West 84th Place about 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Lyons, 20, of the 8000 block of South Richmond Street, was shot in the head and died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The other man, 19, was shot in the leg and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment, police said.

Poe, who lived on the block, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, police said. He was on parole for a stolen weapons conviction, authorities said.

Poe is expected to appear in court Friday for a bond hearing.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire