A judge on Thursday denied bail for a 37-year-old man charged in the fatal shooting of a Cook County judge during a robbery this week in Chicago.
Joshua Smith appeared before a DuPage County judge, one day after he was charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and obstruction of justice in connection with the killing of Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles.
Smith, prosecutors allege, was the getaway driver.
Myles, 66, was fatally shot just before 5 a.m. Monday outside his home in the 9400 block of South Forest, police said.
Police said a 52-year-old woman walked out of her house and encountered the gunman. Words were exchanged, and the suspect shot her in the leg. Myles heard arguing and the gunshot and came to the aid of the woman, a friend the judge worked out with daily, according to police.
Myles "exchanged words with the offender," Chief of Detectives Melissa Staples said, and he was shot multiple times.
Police said they believe the robbery was "targeted" but Myles was not the intended target.
Authorities claimed in court Thursday the alleged shooter, a friend of Smith's, had been following the woman for weeks prior to the shooting. Through that, they knew when she would leave the judge's home and head to the gym, prosecutors alleged.
"Defendant admitted to hearing gunshots and then picking up the male co-offender and driving him to a location to get rid of the 52-year-old female's bag, after the male co-offender discovered that there was no money in the bag," said Guy Lisuzzo with the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
Smith's public defender argued, however, that all evidence against him is circumstantial.
Chicago authorities had said Smith turned himself in for questioning earlier this week, but surveillance video also played a crucial role in the arrest.
"For the last 48 hours, area south detectives have worked nonstop to gather crucial evidence, review countless hours of video and ultimately build a timeline of events which allowed us to identify those responsible," Staples said Wednesday.
She added that the gun used in the crime is also linked to a robbery that took place in January.
In that case, the victim survived but no arrests have been made.
Authorities said they believe others were involved in Myles' death.
"Judge Myles was a public servant who held criminals accountable for their actions to make the city he called home a better place to live," said Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro. "While any act of violence in Chicago is one too many, this crime took from us a valuable partner in our fight to take violent offenders off the streets."
Navarro - who called the judge's killing "another senseless act of violence" - said Supt. Eddie Johnson ordered the department to use every resource to track down the offenders.
The FBI has offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to Myles' killer.
Local
Anyone with information is asked to contact Area South detectives.
