Man allegedly murdered Brighton Park liquor store clerk after he refused to sell beer

Moises Morales was turned away twice from buying a case of Budweiser because he didn’t have his ID while shopping at the Liquorama liquor store in Brighton Park over the weekend.

Angry that he was kept from buying the beer, Morales responded by pulling out a 4-to-6-inch knife and repeatedly stabbing 56-year-old cashier Christ Douvlis, Cook County prosecutors said Monday.

Morales attacked Douvlis in full view of witnesses and a store surveillance camera and only stopped after Douvlis’ brother and Morales’ father pulled the two men apart Saturday afternoon, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.

Douvlis died at Mt. Sinai Hospital, with stab wounds to his torso, chest and abdomen, and “defensive wounds” to his hands, Murphy said.

Chicago police

Video showed 26-year-old Morales enter the store, in the 4400 block of South Kedzie Avenue, and walk to the back cooler to get the Budweiser. When he reached the register at the Southwest Side store, another cashier asked for Morales’ ID. When Morales said he didn’t have any ID, Douvlis — the brother of the store’s owner — told Morales he couldn’t buy the beer, Murphy said.

Morales walked out to the parking lot, where his parents were waiting for him, and returned to the store with his father. Again, he walked back to cooler, grabbed the Budweiser and walked to register, where Douvlis now was working. Morales then announced that his father was going to buy the beer. Douvlis again asked Morales for his ID, and when he couldn’t produce one, Douvlis refused to make the sale, Murphy said.

Morales then allegedly spit at Douvlis, who was screened in part by a plexiglas shield covering the register. Morales continued, stepping to the side to get “a better angle,” and spit at Douvlis again, Murphy said. As Douvlis came out from behind the register, Morales allegedly reached into his pocket for the knife and can be seen on video raising the weapon over his head before making a “stabbing motion toward [Douvlis’] gut” as the two men tussled over the knife.

The camera later shows Morales and his father leaving the store, as a pool of blood forms around Douvlis.

From the parking lot, Douvlis’ brother managed to snap a photo of Morales’ car as he and his parents drove off, Murphy said. Chicago police detectives were then able to track the license plate to Morales’ father’s house. As they were waiting for evidence technicians to impound the vehicle, officers saw Morales walk into the home but then he ran out the back door to a house in the 5200 block of South Lorel Avenue, where he eluded police again, Muphy said. Morales was arrested at a house a few blocks away, in the 5300 block of South Lockwood Avenue.

During a videotaped interrogation, Morales allegedly told officers that Douvils punched him in the face and that he “blacked out,” only to regain consciousness by another blow to the head, Murphy said. Morales said it was only then that he pulled out the knife and “waved it around” before running out of the store.

Judge David Navarro ordered Morales held without bail for first-degree murder.