Erica D. Blackman was found shot to death early Friday in the Chatham neighborhood in what police are calling an apparent murder-suicide.

A relative found 27-year-old Blackman and a 42-year-old man shot to death in the 8000 block of South Princeton Avenue about 12:45 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Blackman, who lived on the block, was shot in the left arm and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Police said the man died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The medical examiner’s office confirmed his death, but did not release his name.

Area South detectives are investigating the deaths as a domestic murder-suicide, police said.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Nyerere Lloyd was fatally shot in the Marquette Park neighborhood early Sunday.

Lloyd, 26, was standing on the sidewalk in the 3100 block of West 64th Street when two gunmen walked up and opened fire about 12:40 a.m., authorities said.

Lloyd, of the 6600 block of South Troy Street, was shot in the chest and died at the scene, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire, Network Video Productions

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Nine men and a woman were shot to death throughout Chicago last week.

Five of the killings happened over the weekend, when at least 29 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 26-year-old Nyerere Lloyd was shot in the chest while standing on the sidewalk in the 3100 block of West 64th Street in the Marquette Park neighborhood about 12:40 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Lloyd, of the 6600 block of South Troy Street, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

On Friday, officers found a 26-year-old man fatally shot in the chest in the 7900 block of South Aberdeen Street in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood about 10 p.m., police said. The medical examiner's office has not yet released his name.

In the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, 24-year-old Kelvin Davis was standing on a sidewalk in the 1300 block of East 75th Street when a gunman in a passing gray vehicle opened fire about 5:20 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Davis, of the 7500 block of South Dorchester Avenue, was shot in the chest and neck and taken died at Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center less than an hour later, authorities said.

In the North Lawndale community, 30-year-old Justin Banks, of Hebron, Ind., and a 28-year-old man were fatally shot in the head in the 4200 block of West Grenshaw Street about 5 p.m. Friday, police said. The medical examiner's office has not yet released the young man's name.

In the Chatham neighborhood, a friend found 27-year-old Erica D. Blackman and a 42-year-old man shot to death in the 8000 block of South Princeton Avenue about 12:45 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Blackman, who lived on the block, was shot in the left arm and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Police said the man died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and detectives are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide. The medical examiner’s office confirmed his death, but did not release his name.

On Thursday, 27-year-old Boshaun Jackson was driving in the 4800 block of North Lake Shore Drive in Uptown when somebody shot him in the chest about 3:45 a.m., authorities said.

Jackson, of the 4400 block of North Clifton Avenue, took himself to Weiss Memorial Hospital, but was transferred to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died at 7:34 a.m., authorities said.

On Wednesday, 24-year-old Ismael Lopez was in the 4800 block of South Winchester Avenue in the Back of the Yards neighborhood when a gunman in a passing red truck opened fired about 1:45 p.m., authorities said.

Lopez, 24, of the 1500 block of Elm Street in Berwyn, was shot in the abdomen and died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County about an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the University Village neighborhood, 25-year-old Eric Washington was shot multiple times while standing in a parking lot in the 1200 block of West Washburne Avenue about 12:05 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Washington, who lived on the block, died at Stroger Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killing started when 30-year-old Ivan S. Kennedy was shot in the 13200 block of South Forrestville Avenue about 3 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Kennedy was outside with a 22-year-old man when a group approached and somebody opened fire, authorities said.

Kennedy, who lived on the block, was shot in the arm, chest and lower back. He took himself to Roseland Community Hospital, where he died less than an hour later. The other man suffered a graze wound to the forehead, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged in any of the killings.

In 2015, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 127 Chicago deaths a homicide, including one person fatally shot by police.

Two men were killed and a woman was wounded when gunfire erupted in the North Lawndale neighborhood Friday afternoon.

Justin M. Banks was in the 4200 block of West Grenshaw Street when a gunman walked up and opened fire about 5 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Banks, 30, of Hebron, Ind., was shot in the head and emergency personnel found him dead on the ground, authorities said.

A 28-year-old man was found shot in the head in the driver's seat of a bullet-riddled pickup truck, police said. He was declared dead Friday at Mount Sinai Hospital, but his name has not yet been released.

A 54-year-old woman also on the block was shot in the left leg and taken to Saint Anthony Hospital for treatment, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the killings.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY EMILY BROSIOUS
Homicide Watch Chicago

A 58-year-old woman found strangled in her Logan Square home appeared happy and upbeat just days earlier, according to a neighbor.

A friend found 58-year-old Bernadette Glomski dead in her home in the 2500 block of West Moffat Street on April 15, authorities said. An autopsy later concluded she died of asphyxia by strangulation and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

"It’s heartbreaking. You don’t want to hear that happen to anyone ... especially like 50 feet from your own bed," said upstairs neighbor Keithon Gipson. "Whatever the situation, nobody deserves that."

Authorities have released few details about the killing, and only released the woman's name in hopes of locating a family member.

Despite the slaying, Gipson says he he still feels safe in the neighborhood.

Gipson, 38, has lived in the apartment directly above Glomski’s for about three years. He said Glomski lived there “for sometime” before he moved in.

Gipson said Glomski, and the man she lived with, were often outside doing yard work and odd jobs for the landlord.

"She was an interesting person. Not exactly the friendliest, I mean, she didn’t do anything wrong to anyone, just sometimes you’d try to avoid her. She was that type of character,” Gipson said.

Glomski appeared in good spirits, and days before her death Gipson said she was hanging out with friends and playing music in the backyard.

"She looked happy. The color in her face looked real good," he said. "And to have her life end that way is unacceptable and terrible."

Gipson said he spoke briefly with police the night Glomski was found dead, but says detectives have not contacted anyone in the building since then.

"I’m not a policeman, but it seems like they have somebody that they’re thinking about. Because they didn’t come back and rehashed anything with us," he said.

Nobody has been charged for the killing. Area North detectives are investigating.

Mechelle Lewis, 28, was fatally shot April 21 in the South Shore community. Prosecutors said her ex-boyfriend gunned her down in front of her young children. Reader Keoka Carter posted this about the killing:

My HEART Goes To The Children And Her Family!!!!!!!! : ( : ( : ( : (
R.I.P. Ms. Lewis U Will Be TRULY MISSED : (

BY MATT McCALL
Homicide Watch Chicago

When Eric Washington's mother came home with a carload of groceries, he would call over his friends from the neighborhood to help her bring them inside, a friend said.

Washington's mother will have one less helping hand after he was shot to death April 29 near his University Village home.

Washington, 25, was shot multiple times while standing in a parking lot in the 1200 block of West Washburne Avenue, authorities said. He died less than an hour later.

A childhood friend, who gave her name only as Briana, said Washington was her first kiss on the playground and one of her best friends into adulthood.

“He was an angel to me, an angel on Earth,” she said.

Briana, who moved to Houston to escape Chicago's violence, said the last time she saw Washington, they talked about the next time they would party together.

“He had a one-in-a-million heart and a smile that would light up a room."

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

A 53-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the West Ridge community Tuesday afternoon.

Jerren Jackson was fatally stabbed in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue about 4 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

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

Police said the killing appears to be a domestic attack, and Area North detectives took one person into custody. Nobody has been charged as of Wednesday morning.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Brian Pridgeon was fatally shot in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood late Friday.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired in the 7900 block of South Aberdeen Street found Pridgeon shot in the chest about 10:10 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Pridgeon, 26, of the 18100 block of Versailles Lane in Hazel Crest, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire, Network Video Productions

Jerome Jackson / Photo from Chicago Police

A North Side man has been charged with murder for allegedly stabbing his mother to death during a Tuesday afternoon domestic dispute in the West Ridge community.

Jerren Jackson, 53, was fatally stabbed in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue about 4 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Jackson, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Her son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, was charged with first degree murder Wednesday, police said.

Jerome Jackson, also of the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue, was scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday, but the hearing was rescheduled for Monday because he was in the hospital.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Joseph Williams was stabbed to death inside his South Deering home early Tuesday.

Williams, 26, was fighting with his girlfriend inside his apartment in the 10700 block of South Bensley Avenue when she stabbed him in the chest about 1:20 a.m., authorities said.

Williams died at Advocate Trinity Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The girlfriend was initially taken into custody, but she was later released without being charged, police said.

Area South South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Antonio Galtney was shot to death in the Englewood neighborhood Thursday night.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired in the 7000 block of South Sangamon Street found Galtney shot multiple times about 7:25 p.m., authorities said.

Galtney, 28, of the 500 block of East 51st Street, was shot in the armpit and thigh, authorities said. He died less than an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Amari Sutton

BY MATT McCALL
Homicide Watch Chicago

Amari Sutton spoke out against the youth violence in the South Shore neighborhood.

Amari, 16, was found shot in the chest and neck near his home in the 1400 block of East 73rd Street about 6 p.m. April 23, authorities said.

A childhood friend, who asked not to be identified, said Amari was “really not” involved in gang activity at the time of his death.

"I think he was targeted due to his past gang affiliation or from an argument at school," the friend said. "In our community, where we grew up, kids, mostly teenagers who were not part of the violence would be targeted. We were so used to violence and people getting beat up, and if you weren’t a part of that, you were against them. If you were against them, they were against you."

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area South detectives are investigating.

A 5-year-old girl was beaten to death in the South Chicago neighborhood Thursday.

Verna Tobicoe was found unresponsive at her home in the 8300 block of South Brandon Avenue about 12:15 p.m. Thursday and was declared dead at South Shore Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Verna died from internal injuries from multiple blunt force impacts, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating allegations of abuse and neglect against Verna’s father and stepmother, DCFS spokeswoman Veronica Resa said.

The department had prior contact with the family when a 2014 report indicated the girl’s biological mother for neglect, Resa said.

Area South detectives are questioning family members, police said.

Lisamarie Villasana / Photo from Chicago Police

A South Side woman has been charged with murder after her 5-year-old stepdaughter was found beaten to death at their South Chicago home Thursday.

Verna Tobicoe was found unresponsive at her home in the 8300 block of South Brandon Avenue about 12:15 p.m. Thursday and was declared dead at South Shore Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Verna died from internal injuries from multiple blunt force impacts, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Verna's stepmother, 27-year-old Lisamarie Villasana, was charged with first-degree murder and Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered her held without bond Saturday, authorities said.

Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Goldfarb said Verna suffered a lacerated liver, a subdural hematoma on the back of her head, lacerated intestines, multiple skull fractures, and had “fresh and older bruising,” including cigarette burns and a wound on the tip of her right index finger “consistent with a bite,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

An Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokeswoman had said that the agency was investigating Verna’s father and stepmother for allegations of abuse and neglect.

The department had prior contact with the family when a 2014 report indicated the girl’s biological mother for neglect, according to the spokeswoman.

Villasana will be back in court Monday.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Marcus D. Franklin was shot to death in the Englewood neighborhood Saturday afternoon.

Franklin, 22, was on a sidewalk in the 7200 block of South Green Street when a gunman walked up and repeatedly shot him in the chest and neck about 12:55 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Franklin, of the 700 block of West 61st Street, was declared dead at Holy Cross Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Theo Hike was killed in a Greater Grand Crossing shooting that left another man seriously wounded late Saturday.

The men were standing in the 7400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when two gunmen walked up and opened fire about 11:55 p.m. Saturday, police said.

Hike, 23, of the 7300 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, was shot in the head, neck and chest and died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

The other man, 23, was shot in the back and taken in serious condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, police said.

The gunmen ran away after the shooting, and nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Six people were killed throughout Chicago last week, including a 53-year-old woman who was stabbed and a 5-year-old girl who was beaten to death.

Two men were shot to death over the weekend, when at least 21 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 23-year-old Theo Hike was shot multiple times in the 7400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in Greater Grand Crossing about 11:55 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Hike, of the 7300 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, died early Sunday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

In Englewood, 22-year-old Marcus D. Franklin was on a sidewalk in the 7200 block of South Green Street when a gunman walked up and repeatedly shot him in the chest and neck about 12:55 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Franklin, of the 700 block of West 61st Street, was declared dead at Holy Cross Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Thursday, 28-year-old Antonio Galtney was shot multiple times in the 7000 block of South Sangamon Street in Englewood about 7:25 p.m., authorities said.

Galtney, of the 500 block of East 51st Street, died less than an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the South Chicago community, 5-year-old Verna Tobicoe was found unresponsive at her home in the 8300 block of South Brandon Avenue about 12:15 p.m. Thursday and was declared dead at South Shore Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Verna died from internal injuries from multiple blunt force impacts, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Verna’s stepmother, 27-year-old Lisamarie Villasana, was charged with first-degree murder and Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered her held without bond Saturday, authorities said.

On Tuesday, 53-year-old Jerren Jackson was stabbed to death at her home in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue in the West Ridge community about 4 p.m., authorities said.

Her son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, was charged with first degree murder and is expected to appear in court Monday for a bond hearing, authorities said.

The killing started when 26-year-old Joseph Williams was stabbed to death during a fight with his girlfriend at his apartment in the 10700 block of South Bensley Avenue in the South Deering community about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

The girlfriend was initially taken into custody, but she was later released without being charged, police said.

In 2015, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 132 Chicago deaths a homicide, including one person fatally shot by police.

Jerome Jackson / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

A North Side man beat his 53-year-old mother and slit her throat because he thought she was stealing money from him, prosecutors said.

When police found Jerren Jackson's lifeless body in the family's West Ridge home, she had been stabbed multiple times and had a piece of a dinner plate embedded in her cheek. She had a "severe slice wound from ear to ear on her throat," multiple cuts on her head and face, a stab wound to the chest and defensive wounds on her hands, prosecutors said.

Her son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, was charged with first-degree murder for the May 5 attack in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue, authorities said.

About 4 p.m. that day, neighbors saw Jerome Jackson's sister run from the home and called 911, said Assistant State's Attorney Enrique Abraham.

Responding officers saw Jerome Jackson exit the apartment building wearing nothing but boxers shorts and socks, prosecutors said.

Jerome Jackson, who was covered in blood, walked to a nearby convenience store and took a beer without paying, Abraham said.

The officers stopped Jerome Jackson, who had two cuts on his hands, and he told officers he got the cuts when he stabbed his mother, prosecutors said.

Emergency personnel found blood outside their apartment door and Jerren Jackson's bloody body on the living room floor, Abraham said. She was declared dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which ruled her death a homicide.

Police recovered a dinner plate and two knives, one of which had a bent blade, prosecutors said.

While in custody, Jerome Jackson gave a recorded statement admitting to beating and stabbing his mother because he thought she was stealing his money.

Jerome Jackson was admitted to an area hospital and charged with first-degree murder May 6, authorities said.

A public defender said Jerome Jackson has "severe mental health issues."

On Monday, Judge Donald Panarese ordered Jerome Jackson held on $1.5 million bond and issued a next court date of May 26.

Javier Garza (L) and Damien Garza (R) / Photo from Chicago Police

BY LEEANN SHELTON
Sun-Times Media

One of two men convicted of murder for shooting a 14-year-old boy on his way to get ice cream has been sentenced to 51 years in prison.

Michael Orozco and his friends were on their way to an ice cream shop when he was shot in the chest in the 2200 block of South Leavitt Street about 4:30 p.m. April 7, 2013. He died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said.

Prosecutors claimed Javier Garza, then 19, shot Michael in an apparent attempt to avenge the murder of his father.

Javier Garza and Damien Garza, 23, were arrested after police broadcast a description of the shooter's vehicle, police said. The Garzas are not related.

In March, Javier Garza was convicted of various counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm, according to court records.

On Thursday, Judge James B. Linn sentenced Javier Garza to 51 years in prison, according to court records. He has filed an appeal, which is scheduled for a status hearing May 14.

Damien Garza was convicted on similar charges, and is still awaiting sentencing, according to court records.