Man Charged With Killing Ex-Girlfriend In Front Of Her Children
Updated 04/22/15 - 10:21 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man turned himself in to Chicago police late Tuesday night, after killing his ex-girlfriend in front of her two kids in the South Shore neighborhood, and then driving off with the children.
Police said the 28-year-old woman was killed shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, when her ex-boyfriend walked up and shot her while she was sitting in a minivan parked outside her apartment in the 7200 block of South Bennett Avenue.
Late Wednesday evening, police announced charges for Myron Mason, 33, for first degree murder.
Witnesses heard at least eight gunshots. The man then abducted the victim's 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son, and fled the scene.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified the woman as 28-year-old Mechelle Lewis. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:11 p.m.
Witnesses said, a few minutes after the shooting, a man discovered Lewis dead inside the minivan, and screamed for help.
"I couldn't believe it. I said, 'Is she dead?' He said, 'She's dead, he killed her.' And then the guy, whoever it was, he said he drove off. He shot her, he took the kids, and he killed her," neighbor Maxine Wheeler said. "I couldn't believe there was a woman in there; a mother in there, dead."
Police said the suspect drove the children to the Grand Crossing District police station at 71st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, and turned himself in to police.
The children were not physically hurt, and have been turned over to relatives. It was not immediately clear if the gunman is the father of the children.
Lewis worked at the McDonald's at 47th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue for several years.
Co-workers, friends, and family were planning to hold a vigil for Lewis on Thursday evening.
"She was just a fun, outspoken, loving person; didn't have problems with anybody, tried to help everybody," said Lewis' friend, Chadonna Hartley. "She was like family to me, so I'm just very disturbed that it had to come down to this nonsense violence."
Lewis' friends and family are planning a vigil at 6 p.m. Wednesday, where she was killed.