A Chicago man is accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend just weeks after she went to police to report that he broke into her home and threatened to kill her.
Louie Foster, 32, was charged with fatally shooting China Mitchell, 33, Monday afternoon inside an EZ-Pawn at 4824 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago police said.
Foster was charged with first-degree murder and being an armed habitual criminal, police said. Foster was also wanted on a probation warrant in a separate case.
He was hospitalized for a mental health evaluation and couldn’t be brought to court for a hearing, a Chicago police officer testified in court Thursday morning.
Judge William Fahy ordered Foster detained on both matters until he could appear in court. His next hearing was set for Monday.
Members of Mitchell’s family, which includes her three children, say they have struggled to accept the devastating news.
“We still can’t believe it,” Mitchell’s brother Lorrell McCray told the Sun-Times. “You see this on TV, you read about it, and see it in movies, but when you actually experience something like this, it is devastating, especially to an angel like China. She didn’t deserve this.”
Officers were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance about 3:30 p.m. and when they arrived heard gunshots coming from the store’s bathroom, according to a police report.
Foster allegedly attempted to flee the scene, dropping a handgun outside the store, according to a police report. He was taken into custody and allegedly made several suicidal statements at the scene, the report said.
Mitchell was found on the floor of the bathroom with gunshot wounds to the head and body, according to police. She was taken to University of Chicago Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
“She was the ultimate sister, the ultimate daughter, the ultimate person,” McCray said. “China would always put others before herself.”
The day of the shooting, McCray said his sister held Foster off until she was sure every worker and patron was out of the store — again putting the safety of others first.
Mitchell worked as a supervisor for a security company and raised her 2-year-old daughter, 11-year-old son and 13-year-old son.
“She was an outstanding mother of three kids, working hard trying to give them what she didn’t have growing up,” McCray said. “You couldn’t ask for a better person.”
Mitchell had previously been granted an order of protection against Foster, which expired in April, according to police sources. The order also protected Mitchell’s children, one of whom she shared with Foster.
On Christmas Day, Foster broke into Mitchell’s home while she was sleeping and when asked to leave he allegedly told her; “I am going to kill you,” according to an incident report.
She went to the 6th District police station and reported the incident to officers who provided her with information on how to obtain a new order of protection or file charges for Foster’s arrest, according to their report. There is no indication that charges or an additional order were sought.
McCray says his sister’s reports were not taken seriously enough.
“This was unbelievable, how she was neglected by the Chicago Police Department,” McCray said. “This could have been stopped by the Chicago police.”
Foster, who lived in the 4900 block of South Paulina Street in Back of the Yards, has an extensive felony background that includes multiple domestic violence-related charges.
On Dec. 15, a judge issued a warrant for his arrest for violating the terms of his probation for an aggravated DUI case.
Contributing: Mary Norkol
