By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago SUn-Times
Tramian Barnes | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.
According to Cook County prosecutors, an Oak Park man already facing charges for the drug-related fatal shooting of Alex Anderson in 2014 was also involved in the murder of Anthony Heatherly while out on bond.
Tramian Barnes shot the 19-year-old Anderson in the stomach after the two had planned to meet for a narcotics transaction in 2014, authorities said.
Barnes’ latest victim, the 17-year-old Heatherly, thought he was going to sell Barnes and his cohort, Kenyatta Alexander, marijuana when he was killed April 4.
Barnes, 21, was awaiting trial for Anderson’s murder when he shot and ran over Heatherly in the parking lot of Taco Burrito King in the 5500 block of North Harlem, Assistant State’s Attorney Liam Reardon said.
Barnes was out of Cook County Jail after posting 10 percent of a $1 million bond Judge Donald Panarese Jr. gave him two years ago, Reardon said.
Anthony Heatherly | Facebook
That spring afternoon, Barnes and Alexander got into Heatherly’s black Hyundai while Barnes’ girlfriend pulled up next to them in her Nissan, Reardon said.
Once inside the Hyundai, Alexander allegedly fired into Heatherly’s chest. Barnes and Alexander then pushed Heatherly out of his car and Barnes got into the driver’s seat and drove off, following his girlfriend in the other car, Reardon said.
When Barnes drove away, Heatherly was dragged several feet and run over by his own car, Reardon said.
Surveillance cameras captured the incident, and a witness identified Barnes and Alexander as the pair who got into Heatherly’s Hyundai, Reardon said.
After leaving the parking lot, Barnes, Alexander and Barnes’ girlfriend stopped a few blocks away, where the girlfriend had parked another car, Reardon said.
Barnes told the woman to go home and wait for them to call, Reardon said.
The pair ended up calling from Maywood, where the girlfriend drove and picked them up in an alley, Reardon said.
Heatherly’s black Hyundai was in the alley, Reardon said.
Barnes and Alexander got into Barnes’ girlfriend’s car and were taken to a friend’s apartment in Melrose Park, Reardon said.
But Barnes and Alexander allegedly told others what they had done. And Alexander made admissions when he was arrested earlier this week, Reardon said.
Cellphone records also show that Barnes and his girlfriend were at key locations tied to Heatherly’s murder, Reardon said. And a witness said he saw Alexander, 39, with the gun before the shooting.
Police have since recovered the license plate Barnes’ girlfriend had on her Nissan, Reardon said.
Alex Anderson | Facebook
Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Barnes held without bond Wednesday on new charges of murder, armed robbery and vehicular hijacking.
Alexander was not in court because he was hospitalized after drinking bleach, a police officer told the judge.
When Anderson was shot, police said he told officers, “Tre shot me,”
Barnes, then living in Joliet, fled to Georgia before being arrested for Anderson’s murder.