An 18-year-old Chicago man was ordered held without bail Monday for allegedly fatally shooting a six-month pregnant teen.
Timothy Jones, of the 6300 block of S. Rockwell, was charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Charinez Jefferson, 17, multiple times in the chest and head around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the city's Marquette Park neighborhood.
Jefferson's baby, delivered prematurely, remains in critical but stable condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
Prosecutors said Monday Jones' target was a member of a rival gang who was walking with Jefferson. The gang member ran off at the sound of gunshots, prosecutors said, leaving Jefferson alone on the ground.
While the suspect stood over her, Jefferson begged him not to kill her because she was pregnant. According to prosecutors, Jones called her a nasty name before opening fire again, shooting Jefferson four times.
“The victim fell to the ground, and the defendant walked up on her and continued to shoot at her as she lay defenseless on the ground,” said Assistant States Attorney John Dillon.
Jefferson's mother and sister were in the courtroom Monday but declined to comment.
Jones' cousin and brother said he couldn't have done it, because he was home the whole time.
“I'm hoping that they find the person who did that," said his brother, Anthony Jones, "but right now, they got the wrong guy.”
“I’m positive they have the wrong man,” said Stanley Jones, his cousin.
Detectives say Jefferson was walking down the street with a male companion and several other people in the 3000 block of West 64th Street when a man jumped out of a car and shot several times. Jefferson's mother, Debbie, said the teen was on her way home after hanging out with several friends.
First responders found Jefferson in critical condition and in cardiac arrest. She was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center on advanced life support and pronounced dead at the hospital just after 11 p.m.
Jefferson had another 1-year-old child and was going to be a junior at Banner Therapeutic Day School.
"She begged the shooter not to shoot her because she was pregnant, and now a baby is clinging onto his life," said Pastor Tavis Grant with the Rainbow Push Coalition during an evening vigil last week.
Police said Jones was arrested Sunday at his home after being identified by witnesses. Jones was on probation for burglary at the time of his arrest.
