Second teen charged in murder of 70-year-old Yvonne Ruzich during Hegewisch carjacking attempt
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A second suspect has been charged with the murder of 70-year-old Yvonne Ruzich, who was slain during a carjacking attempt in the Hegewisch neighborhood last summer.
Chicago Police said a 16-year-old boy was arrested by the Fugitive Apprehension Unit on Monday in Roseland, after he was identified as the second suspect in Ruzich's shooting death on Aug. 16, 2021.
The boy, whose name was not released due to his age, has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder.
Another teen, 17-year-old Malique Long, was charged with first-degree murder in Ruzich's death about two weeks after the shooting. He is being held without bond.
Police and prosecutors have said Ruzich was parked outside of work at Baltimore Food, Deli, and Liquor in the 13300 block of South Baltimore Avenue around 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 16, talking to one of her sons through the windows of their cars, when Long and another suspect pulled up in a 2009 Saturn Aura.
Long – wearing all black – and the second suspect – wearing all gray – got out of the Saturn with guns in hand, prosecutors said.
The second suspect came up to the area between Ruzich's car and her stepson's with Long behind him, prosecutors said. The stepson saw the second suspect coming up with a gun and told Ruzich to drive away, prosecutors said.
The second fired one round into Ruzich's car. Ruzich then drove off, prosecutors said.
Meanwhile, an unknown third suspect got out of the back of the Saturn and got in the driver's seat, while the second suspect switched to the back seat and Long got in front passenger seat, prosecutors said. Ruzich's car made it half a block before crashing into a bike rack and the sidewalk, and the attackers pulled up next to her car in the Saturn again, prosecutors said.
This time, the suspects fired at least seven rounds from a different gun into Ruzich's car, and ShotSpotter documented a total of nine gunshots in the area, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors have said Ruzich was found with four gunshot wounds to her body, one of which was in her mid-right back. She was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Two different shell casings were found between the crime scenes. A second person, who has not yet been charged, can be seen on camera shooting at Ruzich's car once. Prosecutors believe, according to the shell casings, that Long fired at least seven shots at her car after she crashed.
Prosecutors also accuse Long of being part of a violent crime spree in the Roseland area prior to the shooting, though he has not been charged in any of the other crimes.
They say starting around 2 a.m. and ending right before 10 a.m., and there were seven victims.
In one incident, at 3 a.m. near 405 E. 110th St., prosecutors say Long and the other juvenile blocked someone in and demanded his car, -- the Saturn Aura -- then took off with the victim's iPhone still inside tracking GPS.
Long and the other person were seen at a Citgo gas station at 11600 S. Michigan Ave. with a third unidentified person, who watched their car as they picked up tobacco paper. Prosecutors say Long's fingerprints are on the paper that was later found in the stolen car by police.
The purchase was caught on surveillance video. The gas station would not give CBS 2 the video, but police did view it.
The Saturn Aura and a Chevrolet Equinox that had also been stolen in a carjacking were both seen at the gas station, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the Chevy Equinox had been carjacked at gunpoint 2 a.m. that morning at 304 E. 117th St. and was traveling with the Saturn Aura shortly after the Saturn was reported carjacked.
The crime spree also involved the attempted carjacking of a Nissan Altima at 511 W. 109th St. at 2:25 a.m., prosecutors said. One suspect wearing all gray and another wearing all black ordered the two people in the Nissan to get out, but they drove off instead and the suspects fired their guns at the car, prosecutors said.
At 2:37 a.m., two people all in black came up and robbed a man at gunpoint at 57 W. 109th St. That victim handed over his keys and the suspects took his 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, which had his temporary ID inside, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say the seventh and last victim was carjacked just before 5 a.m. in the 11200 block of South Vernon Avenue. The other victims iPhone location showed 1111 May St. in Hammond, Indiana in the white Kia Sorrento owned by the seventh victim. Prosecutors say relatives of Long live at that location.
