Alleged driver in Lawndale shooting charged with murder

A 19-year-old man is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with a fatal shooting last year in Lawndale.

Trevin Sanders was denied bail when he appeared at a hearing Friday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building before Judge David Navarro.

Killed in the shooting was 36-year-old Jonathan Green, who lived about a block from where he was gunned down on May 16, 2017 near Grenshaw Street and Karlov Avenue, Cook County prosecutors said.

Responding Chicago police officers found Green shot multiple times just after 11 a.m. and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prior to the shooting, prosecutors said Green and a 34-year-old man with him saw Sanders following them in a grey SUV after they left a gas station on foot near Roosevelt and Pulaski roads.

A witness told investigators that he recognized the driver of the SUV as Sanders by the “distinctive cross tattoo on his forehead” as Sanders drove slowly by them, initially preventing them from crossing the street, prosecutors said.

Shortly after, Sanders pulled beside Green and stopped, prosecutors said. A front seat passenger and a rear seat passenger got out of the SUV with guns and opened fire on the pair.

Green ran, but fell to the ground after being struck, prosecutors said. One of the passengers from the SUV then walked up to Green, stood over him and fired into his body several more times.

The 34-year-old managed to escape unharmed.

The two shooters, neither of whom are charged in the case, got back into the SUV and were driven from the scene by Sanders, prosecutors said. Twenty 9-mm shell casings were found near Green’s body by investigators.

Sanders, who lived about three blocks from where the shooting took place, was taken into custody in July on a charge of armed robbery in an unrelated incident and was ordered held without bail, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty to robbery and vehicular hijacking on Sept. 20 and was in custody at the Cook County Jail when the murder charge was brought.

Sanders’ public defender said he had been living with his mother and father prior to being charged in July.

Sanders’ next court date was scheduled for Dec. 5.