Three migrant teenagers accused in deadly stabbing of homeless man in Chicago

Teenagers Charged in Stabbing Death of Homeless Man in Chicago

Three teenagers, immigrants from Venezuela, have been charged in the fatal stabbing of a 49-year-old homeless man in Chicago over the weekend, according to officials.

Sixteen-year-old Winaykel Rodriguez-Vazquez faces first-degree murder charges as an adult, stemming from the incident on Sunday morning. He attended a detention hearing on Tuesday, where a judge ordered a pretrial hearing.

Two 14-year-olds are also facing charges: one for first-degree murder and the other for armed robbery. Both appeared in court on Monday and are currently being held in custody.

Reports indicate that the victim was unknown to the suspects.

Rodriguez-Vazquez’s entry into the United States was documented in September 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, where he and his mother were arrested but later released, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, records show that his interactions with Texas law enforcement were labeled as “alien nonadmissible” cases, and he has no criminal record in Illinois.

The incident unfolded around 5:45 a.m. in the Chicago Loop. The victim was sleeping near his belongings, which included a cat and a skeleton mask. Prosecutors allege that Rodriguez-Vazquez and the two younger boys approached him, with Rodriguez-Vazquez hiding a knife in his sleeve while one of the teens held a metal rod.

One teen reportedly snatched the victim’s mask and fled. When the victim got up, Rodriguez-Vazquez allegedly kicked him, while one of the 14-year-olds punched him. Subsequently, Rodriguez-Vazquez is accused of stabbing the man in the back, causing him to fall to the ground. This violent encounter was captured on surveillance video.

The victim was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival. The coroner determined that the cause of death was a stab wound in the back, ruling it a homicide.

Authorities located the teens after reviewing surveillance footage that showed individuals in the same clothing as those arrested. Rodriguez-Vazquez was discovered holding a knife and later identified by his mother and another member of the group.