Man charged in murder during weed deal gone bad

A purported weed dealer was ordered held without bond Tuesday for allegedly murdering a man during what Cook County prosecutors say was a marijuana deal gone bad last January on the Southwest Side.

About 10:20 p.m. Jan. 6, a witness drove 21-year-old Emilio Miranda to the 6000 block of West 63rd Street after he made arrangements to buy marijuana from 19-year-old Kamil Szczurek via Snapchat, prosecutors said. Szczurek and a co-offender then approached the car and got inside.

During the planned deal, Miranda and Szczurek got into an argument that turned physical and both men got out of the vehicle, prosecutors said. While they were standing on the street, Szczurek shot Miranda in the face, killing him.

Szczurek and the co-offender, who has not been charged, ran off after the the shooting, prosecutors said. Szczurek was later identified by a fingerprint found on the rear window of the vehicle Miranda arrived in and surveillance video that showed Szczurek walking four houses away just before the shooting.

Prosecutors said the witness who drove Miranda to the deal also identified Szczurek as the shooter.

Chicago police

Szczurek, of Clearing, was taken into custody Sunday and charged with first-degree murder in Miranda’s death, according to Chicago police. Szczurek was additionally charged with unlawful possession of a handgun when officers found he had a .40-caliber Glock during his arrest, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Szczurek made statements to detectives after his arrest that he pulled the gun on Miranda inside the vehicle and “demanded everything.”

An assistant public defender said Szczurek was working in construction at the time of his arrest and graduated a high school in west suburban St. Charles.

Judge Arther Weasley Willis called Szczurek a danger to the community.

Szczurek was scheduled back in court June 14.