Carpentersville armed robbery/murder suspect caught in St. Louis

A man charged with murder for the death of his accomplice during an armed robbery in northwest suburban Carpentersville earlier this month has been arrested in Missouri.

Bobby Heard, 32, was arrested by the U.S. Marshal Service on Thursday in St. Louis, according to a statement from the Kane County state’s attorney’s office.

About 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7, Heard and his accomplice, 37-year-old Kenyon R. Slater, entered a computer store in the 1600 block of Ravish Lane armed with handguns, according to prosecutors and Carpentersville police. They restrained two employees, and took electronic equipment and cash. Heard hit one of the victims with a handgun before they left the store.

One of the victims eventually freed himself, grabbed a handgun, ran out of the store and shot Slater in the parking lot, prosecutors said.

Slater, who lived in Chicago, was taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin, where he later died, according to the Kane County coroner’s office.

Heard, whose last known address was in the 5200 block of South Honore in Chicago, got away in a vehicle driven by a third, currently unknown suspect, according to prosecutors. A warrant for his arrest was issued Sept. 17, charging him with felony murder for Slater’s death and a felony count of armed robbery.

Under Illinois law, a person can be charged with felony murder if an accomplice is killed while they are committing a violent crime, such as armed robbery.

Heard’s bond was set at $3 million, according to prosecutors. He remains in custody in the Greene County Jail in Springfield, Missouri, and was awaiting extradition to Kane County.

If convicted of the most serious charge, he would face a minimum of 20 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Anyone with information about the third suspect should call Carpentersville Police Cmdr. Paul Brandt at (224) 293-1676.