By FRANK MAIN and RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times
Corey Morgan | Cook County sheriff's office
A person of interest in the murder of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee was ordered held on a $1 million bond Wednesday on an unrelated charge of being a felon in possession of a gun.Corey Morgan, 27, of the 7800 block of South Hoyne, was arrested Monday afternoon after he left a Hilton hotel near 95th Street in Oak Lawn, authorities say. Arrested with him was Dwight Boone-Doty, 21, of the 7300 block of South Vernon.
They were stopped in a car on 87th Street in nearby Evergreen Park.
Police allegedly recovered two handguns from the men. Both were ordered held on $1 million bonds Wednesday to the sounds of gasps in the courtroom.
Tyshawn Lee
Court records show Morgan was convicted of illegal gun possession in 2011 and sentenced to probation and five days of community service.
Law enforcement sources said he is a person of interest in the slaying of Tyshawn about 4:15 p.m. Nov. 2 in the 8000 block of South Damen.
The 4th-grader was lured into an alley and executed in retaliation against the boy’s father, authorities say.
Morgan is not charged in connection with the murder, which has attracted national attention because of its heinous nature.
Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy called the shooting “probably the most abhorrent, cowardly, unfathomable crime that I’ve witnessed in 35 years of policing.”
Police believe Tyshawn was killed in retaliation for the Oct. 13 murder of Tracey Morgan, 25, who is the brother of Corey Morgan, records show.
Tracey Morgan’s mother was in the car with him during that shooting and was wounded. They had just left a police-sponsored meeting to discourage gang members from violence.
Tracey Morgan and Tyshawn’s father were in rival gangs, police say.
Authorities revealed at the bond hearing that Boone-Doty was seen with a gun in his waistband and Morgan was holding a duffle bag, Scaduto said.
Morgan was then seen getting into the back of a car and Boone-Doty got into the front before the car drove away, Scaduto said.
When police stopped the vehicle, they found a .40 caliber gun with 12 live rounds in Boone-Doty’s waistband. And a .45 caliber handgun with 14 live rounds were found in the duffle bag, Scaduto said.
Morgan also has a previous aggravated unlawful use of a weapon conviction. And Boone-Doty is currently on a parole for a drug and weapons case. He was released from prison in August.
Morgan and Boone-Doty both work in construction, their lawyers said.
Morgan has a 1-year-old child, and Boone-Doty a 3-month-old.
An irritated Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. said, as convicted felons, the men know they shouldn’t have guns.
“I am consistent with gun cases,” the judge said before setting the high bonds, prompting gasps in the courtroom.