Two Charged For Murder Of Pregnant Teen
CALUMET CITY, Ill. (STMW) -- A south suburban man and his girlfriend were formally charged Tuesday with the brutal slaying of his former girlfriend, a teenager who was nine month's pregnant with his child last month.
Deandre Minkens, 20, of the 300 block of 156th Pl. in Calumet City; and Shante Thomas, 19, of 2300 block of West Touhy Ave. in Chicago were indicted on charges of first-degree murder and intentional homicide of the unborn child, Cook County State's attorney spokesman Andy Conklin said.
They are charged with the slaying of 18-year-old Rosemary Newman, of Alsip, who was pregnant with Minkens' child. He is being held without bond, while Thomas is being held on $3 million, Conklin said.
Minkens and Thomas spent several weeks developing a plan to murder the victim because Minkens did not want the child, according to prosecutors.
On Saturday, April 23, Minkens invited Newman to dinner at a Crestwood restaurant while Thomas hid in the vehicle, waiting for them to come back, according to prosecutors.
Minkens and Newman returned to the car and as Minkens drove east, he turned on a certain song, which was Thomas' cue to emerge and begin strangling Newman. Minkens and Thomas then beat the victim until she was unconscious, according prosecutors.
Minkens then drove to a Cook County Forest Preserve near Calumet City, where he strangled Newman to death and dumped her body in the woods, prosecutors said. The body was discovered the next morning by a man walking his dog.
Her mother had reported Newman missing that morning after she didn't return to her Alsip home, according to the sheriff's office. Sheriff's police detectives quickly identified Minkens and Thomas as persons of interest.
During questioning, Minkens allegedly denied involvement in the murder. But Thomas allegedly provided a detailed account of the murder, which lead to charges by the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
Newman died by strangulation, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Arraignment is set for June 8 in Markham, Conklin said.
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