United Center

Man charged with murder, robbery in death of Elgin teen before Lil Durk concert

18-year-old Jess Kendall died from multiple gunshots after he was held up on his way to see Lil Durk at the UC

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A 19-year-old man from Cook County was charged with robbery and murder for the October death of an Elgin teen on his way to see a Lil Durk concert at the United Center.

Devon Wolfe was arrested in central Illinois Friday, authorities said, and he appeared in Cook County criminal court Monday for the death of 18-year-old Jess Kendall. The judge ordered Wolfe remain in jail until his next court appearance on Feb. 19.

On Oct. 20, 2024, Kendall, his girlfriend and three friends were walking to the Lil Durk concert at the United Center when, according to prosecutors, they were approached by four armed offenders in ski masks on North Wolcott, two of them on Divvy bikes and two on foot.

Kendall was pistol whipped, prosecutors said, and got into a physical altercation with the offenders. He was shot multiple times and died at Stroger Hospital.

Prosecutors claim physical evidence from the scene and social media messages tie Wolfe to the crime.

In court, they painted a picture of Wolfe and the other offenders trolling for victims that night, knowing there was a concert at the United Center.

Prosecutors claimed Wolfe sent an Instagram message to a juvenile co-defendant, asking where his gun was. No weapons were recovered from the scene that night, but several shell casings from different guns were found.

NBC Chicago spoke to Kendall's brother that night.

"I can't say enough good things," Thomas Kendall said Oct. 20. "He's smart in his school, he knows how to work on cars."

In court Monday, prosecutors described Kendall telling his friends to walk away.

During the course of that altercation, Wolfe was also shot. He was treated and later released from the hospital.

In addition to that Instagram message, prosecutors said one of the victims' stolen items, a pink vape pen with DNA to match, was found on Wolfe the night of the crime.

The defense said Wolfe doesn't have a criminal record and was preparing for trade school. But the judge ultimately sided with prosecutors and ordered he remain detained.

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