Man Charged In Slaying Of Tyshawn Lee Planned To Torture Him
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The man accused of the execution-style murder of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee last year allegedly planned to torture the child by cutting off his fingers and ears, because of the boy's father's ties to a rival gang believed responsible for another fatal shooting, authorities said Tuesday.
Dwright Boone-Doty, 22, has been charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 2 shooting of Tyshawn Lee, and the Oct. 18 shooting death of 19-year-old Brianna Jenkins. He also has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting 20-year-old Deshari Bowens in the attack that killed Jenkins.
Another man, 27-year-old Corey Morgan, also has been charged with first-degree murder in Tyshawn's death; and authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a third suspect, 22-year-old Kevin Edwards.
"This was a targeted assassination by [Dwright Boone-Doty], Kevin Edwards, and Corey Morgan. These are calculated killers whose actions define the words brutality and cowardice," acting Chicago Police Supt. John Escalante said.
Boone-Doty allegedly lured Tyshawn away from a basketball court by offering to take him to a store, and then shot him multiple times in an alley.
Prosecutors said Boone-Doty originally planned to kill Tyshawn's grandmother, and to torture Tyshawn, because Tyshawn's father, Pierre Stokes, was a member of a rival gang.
"In nearly 30 years of policing, I have never witnessed such a hateful act of treachery and savageness towards an innocent child whose life barely had the chance to flourish," Escalante said.
Podcast
Police and prosecutors said both shootings stemmed from an ongoing gang war between the Terror Dome faction of the Black P-Stones and the Killa Ward faction of the Gangster Disciples.
Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said on Oct. 13, 25-year-old Tracy Morgan was shot and killed while sitting in a car with his mother, who also was wounded in the attack. Morgan's brother, Corey Morgan, planned to retaliate, and allegedly said he "was going to kill grandmas, mothers , and children," Avlarez said.
Corey Morgan, Boone-Doty, and Edwards – all purported Terror Dome members – allegedly went out daily, armed with guns, seeking to retaliate for that shooting, Alvarez said. On Oct. 18, 2015, Boone-Doty and Edwards allegedly spotted Jenkins and Bowens sitting in a car near 78th and Honore, and believing Bowens was a rival gang member, Boone-Doty walked up to the car, and fired multiple shots, killing Jenkins and wounding Bowens.
Then, on Nov. 2, Boone-Doty, Corey Morgan, and Edwards were still seeking retaliation when they arrived at Dawes Park, at 80th and Damen, and spotted Tyshawn playing with a basketball in the playlot, Alvarez said. Morgan and Edwards drove off in an SUV while Boone-Doty stayed behind.
Tyshawn put down his basketball and began playing on the swings at the park, and Boone-Doty walked up to him and offered to take him to the store and buy him anything he wanted, Alvarez said. The two then walked into a nearby alley, where Boone-Doty allegedly shot Tyshawn multiple times at close range.
"I don't think I have ever been more disgusted and appalled by such inhumanity. This intentional murder of Tyshawn Lee is among the worst that I have ever seen in my almost 30 years as a prosecutor,"
Authorities said Boone-Doty, who was in custody on unrelated gun charges, gave statements admitting his role in the killings, and said when he shot Tyshawn he "seen that bitch go in his head."
"Shorty, he was like he couldn't take it no more. Shorty couldn't take it no more," Boone-Doty allegedly said, according to Alvarez.
Police and prosecutors would not reveal how they obtained Boone-Doty's statements, but published reports stated an inmate at Cook County Jail secretly recorded him after telling authorities Boone-Doty had been bragging about killing Tyshawn and he said he was writing a rap song about the killing.
Alvarez said Boone-Doty's initial plan was to torture Tyshawn by kidnapping him, and cutting off his fingers and ears. She also said he set up surveillance of Tyshawn's grandmother at one point, to draw out rival gang members.
Boone-Doty was ordered held without bail at a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say that Boone-Doty was moved from Cook County Jail to Piatt County Jail for security reasons.
Corey Morgan was charged with first-degree murder in Tyshawn's death in November, and is being held without bail. Edwards remains at large, but a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Community activist Andrew Holmes is worried about copy cats.
"If he can do it and pull it off... you can believe someone else is going to get that mad and try to pull the same thing off again, and sending a message to someone else's family," he said.
Something Holmes says is not new.
"To go after a baby, a child.... this is old fashioned, this is stuff that was done in mafia days, Al Capone days,"
