Jun 11, 2008 5:31 pm US/Central
Man In Custody In Murder Of 5, Another At Large
Victims Found In Chatham Neighborhood House On April 23
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Torolan Williams, 22, has been charged in the murder of three men, a woman and a teenage girl whose bodies were found April 23 at 7607 S. Rhodes Ave.
One suspect is in custody and one is still at large for the deadly shootings of five people in a Chatham neighborhood house last April in what is Chicago's worst mass murder in five years.
As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, police announced that Torolan Williams, 22, of 11600 block of South Artesian Avenue has been charged in the murder of three men, a woman and a teenage girl whose bodies were found April 23 at 7607 S. Rhodes Ave.
Killed were Lakesha Doss, 17, Whitney Flowers, 22, Donovan Richardson, 24, Reginald Walker, 23, and Anthony Scales Jr., 27. The victims had all been beaten before they were shot.
"Anytime there's a loss of life, tragedy is felt by all," police First Deputy James Jackson said at a news conference. "Today's news should bring some relief to the families, friends and the community of Gresham. They can take comfort knowing that a dangerous offender has now been taken off the street."
As CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports, Jackie Cantron, mother of one of the victims, personally thanked Area 2 Detectives and Chicago Police Brass after Williams was charged with the murder of her son Scales, and four other victims.
"It's helping my family so much because we need some closure on this," Cantron said. "Not just my family, but the other families of these victims."
Police Chief of Detectives Thomas Byrne said detectives received a tip that helped bring about Williams' arrest.
"We got some real good information by somebody doing the right thing, and that's what we need," Byrne said. "We're not there, and we need help."
Robbery is believed to be the motive for the murders, Byrne said.
The house was ransacked and several valuables were discovered missing from the home, which was rented by Richardson. Among the items taken were white diamond earrings and a silver "Jo-Jo'' wristwatch, authorities said earlier.
Detectives are still looking for additional suspects in the murder, Byrne said, and because the investigation is ongoing, he said there are limits as to what can be released.
"We felt there was more than one person; we still feel there was more than one person," Byrne said. "For those reasons, we'll be a little tight-lipped with some of our efforts – we don't want to compromise it. But yes, we are looking for additional people."
Police have said Williams gave them information about the second suspect.
Relatives of two of the victims – Scales and Walker – said they were relieved that authorities have charged someone.
"What dollar amount is worth a life, no matter what kind of money, or what it was?" said Anthony Scales Jr.'s uncle, Terry Scales. "No material thing is worth a life, and they took five."
"They took a monster off the streets," added Reginald Brown, father of Reginald Walker. "Other people's families had to suffer the same thing; five families have suffered like we did."
Nicknamed Don P, Richardson, 25, drove Cadillacs and a Mercedes. Neighbors said the house had lots of visitors. His relatives said he was an "entrepreneur" and a "party promoter" and kept art and jewelry. He and Flowers, 22, had a 2-year-old son, relatives said.
Sources said the home also might have been used for prostitution.
The violence shocked residents of the typically quiet Chatham neighborhood, but police assured them this was not a random act.
"It wasn't something that was random. There is no killer running in the neighborhood," said Calumet Area Cmdr. Eddie Welch."This was an event that was targeted. They were definitely targeted."
The suspect, who knew one of the victims, was overheard talking about the murders, and was in possession of a television stolen from the house, the source told the Sun-Times News Group Wire
Terry Scales still can't comprehend the sheer callousness of the crime.
"This guy knew these people," Scales said. "They know this guy, and he had the audacity to go in and do them lilke this. This is somebody they know, its not a stranger. So that's scary."
The suspect gave police information about another man being sought in the slayings, the source said. The second man is not in custody, but authorities are looking for someone the victims' relatives say is known in the neighborhood.
Williams was arrested Monday outside Northwestern Hospital, where he had sought help for a stomach ailment.
The incident was the worst mass killing in the city since 2003, when a gunman gunned down six people in a South Side warehouse before dying in a shoot-out with police.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley, Joanie Lum and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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