BY MIKE CETERA
Ninety-nine days into the new year and the city of Aurora has yet to record a murder for 2008. Something to celebrate? Let's let recent history be the judge.
The city's first 2007 murder was recorded on Jan. 21. No charges have been filed in the death of 15-year-old Oscar Rodriguez.
The city's first 2006 murder was recorded on Jan. 6. A man was sentenced to 70 years in prison last year for the murder of 28-year-old Antoine "Tyrell" Bell.
In fact, the city has not been murder free this late into the new year since 1987, a year that saw just one homicide.
That's quite a run, arbitrary as it is. Jan. 1, after all, is just a date.
Overall, it has been 126 days since someone was murdered in Aurora. Several people have been charged in the death of 23-year-old Julio Gurrola 106 days since someone was murdered in Aurora. I forgot the Christmas Eve death of 21-year-old Craig Escamilla, who died in a car accident that occurred as he was speeding away from a shooting he was involved in, according to police. A coroner's jury ruled the death an accident, but police are treating it as a homicide because Escamilla died during the commission of a felony -- the shooting.
The last time the city went as long as 126 106 days between killings was in 2006. Bell, mentioned above, was killed Jan. 6, 2006. The next murder -- 19-year-old Jessie Lozano -- happened on Aug. 12: 218 days. There were four murders in 2006.
This quiet start is just that -- a start. Is it a predictor of things to come? In the city's most deadly recent years, the majority of murders were committed after June 1. So we still have some time to go before making any really bold statements about the state of murder in Aurora.
If you read into this as a good sign -- or any sign at all -- the next logical question is why? Do the continued gang busts get the credit? Did the lousy winter weather keep would-be killers indoors? Thoughts?
I Posted this last night in a different blog on the beacon. I think it might do better here.
I am just wondering where the support for Nico Contreras and Mike Niles was at the last day of trial. No Mayor, Chief presence nor any of the fellow officers who worked this case over the years. Where is the support at? There has been about 20 years of this mayhem and we still can't unite. This is our community and we should take it back, but can we with a police department that shows a lack of interest in what could be the conclusions to a very violent era in Aurora's History. Why should victims, witnesses or snitches for that matter put themselves out there if the police department won't. I am wondering what the count is from the first gang related murder to now is and what the solved/unsolved ratio is. Then how many of those solved murders went to trial verses pled out. How many went to trial and was won verses lost. Maybe even publish like the Beacon use to in the 90's at the end of the year theyt would publish all of the Murders, Solved and Unsolved. I wonder how big of a section it would be. Or maybe somebody could come up with a Scorecard so we can keep track of who is wining this war on Gangs. Maybe we can make it more competive for our police department to feel more like a team and we will see more team spirit.
I'm not a fan of celebrating murder statistics. Aren't there other things going on in the community that we can celebrate?
But to the Anonymous commenter, I don't understand your reasoning for expecting the aforementioned officials to be present the last day of trial, or any day for that matter. You are correct in that this is our community but for us to take control of the situation we need to do our own part. We can start by standing up against the gang members that exit in our own families (lets not forget Nico's gang affiliated uncle was the intended target). I believe if everyone did their part, we would be in a better situation. This is precisely why witnesses should come forward and share their info with the police.
Lets not blame the APD for our own lack of community involvement.
we should'nt get side tracked i think it's great that some of us want to take back the community but,the real problem starts with the aurora police department this gang violence has been going on for a really long time and i think that if they knew how to do there jobs the FBI would not have come in to take over it must be that bad if you were to ask me the aurora police department is a gang in itself let's not forget about Micheal Murphy the clergyman that used to ride around assisting them he brought all of these allegations againts the APD and now he's dead humm so you can forget about getting there help all of these raids that happend starting from 2002 were just a political stunt not a good deed think about all of the officers and how they were just potrol officers and now after these raids have taken place there now sargents and head detecives its not a coincedence think about how many lives we have lost and then you have to think about the people that are being charged or convicted for these murders are they really guilty or did they just become victims of aurora's society because somebody has to pay even if they didnt do it.
Some people should do their homework. The FBI does not come to town to govern the APD. The FBI handles federal investigations, hence the name FBI. The lack of punctuation made the rest of the comment confusing.
Some people should care sounds like a hood rat that "her baby's daddy" is one of the little cowards in jail for one of these past shootings. The recent cold cases were solved by hard working APD detectives with the help of the FBI. Some of those informants were guys caught up on FBI and Aurora PD drug charges. Most of them were high ranking gang members who had first hand knowledge of the gang murders. It would probably help APD a lot if the state court systems would give lengthy jail terms. Instead you have a gang members who is arrested for a shooting, he gets 20 years at best, and then IDOC lets them out after 8-10 years. Fed time, the gang member who gets 20-30 years spends about about 95% of that jail term behind bars. Most people don't know that a majority of gang members get charged with aggravated battery with a firearm instead of attempted murder after shootings. This is because the state court systems feel that it is very hard to show a jury that a gang member had the "INTENT IN THEIR MIND" to kill the other person while pointing a gun and pulling the trigger. So that members gets charged with aggravated battery w/ a firearm, which leads to less time in jail. (better felony conviction rates for the state's attorney)
Instead of bad mouthing APD, maybe you could go down there, ask for a ride a long, and then you might actually see what it takes to walk in the shoes of a patrol officer.
The FBI got involved in Aurora gang investigations after APD got caught tipping off gangsters when Kane County was about to conduct a raid. That's why former Chief Perkins was forced to take a job elesewhere. I do not trust APD to do anything about gang violence except an occasional PR stunt. They're more of a politcial being than a law enforcement being.
No the FBI did not take over, they came in and showed them how to structure, package and submit a deal to the Judge or Jury. There is no way I believe we had super hybrid over educated gangbangers. We had Inside Edition do a week long series on Aurora being the city with the highest unsolved murder rate per capital in the 90's. Now that is insane. We did have a Police Department that burned informants. There is some who were murdered. What about the the Sugar Grove Masacure. They nearly eliminated a whole family because a co-defendant turned informant. Who would believe or trust a police force after that. Not I with the lives of my children.
Didnt Mr Rangel get aquitted for the murder of Mr. Gonzalez. Now they have 4 more people charged in it.I wonder how the State's Attorney feels about that. I am sure after loosing a couple cases for them being weak, bad witnesses, or even unsure of the police work. Might be safer pleading them down. Besides pleading down alot of those cases is what lead to such lengthy sentences with the Federal Truth in Sentencing Guidlines. So maybe we should publish all of the cities murders to give citizens a chance to step up and do something right. After all it is safer for a witness now to come forward and help in the prosecution of these crimes. The police department and the FBI are working hard to make things right. I do give them that. However our Mayor will probally give us a new cheif out of Political gain and not the true qualifications of what we need. Definatly not someone with a degree in Criminal Law from Waubonsee. Aurora reminds me of HBO's series "The Wire" By the way after the Michael Murphy rumors I will pass on the Ride A Long.
thanx to the responding parties at least some agree with me although some did not i knew the evil comments would come sorry to upset you but im not a hoodrat and my babydaddy is not in jail i just know unlike you how aurora really is there's no covering my eyes on the other hand you sound like a pissed off police officer did you get affended by the truth it hurts dont it the only reason the FBI came in was like i said they were not doing there jobs and the only reason they are now trying to charge these men are because hearsay is admissable in federal court unlike state real evidence is required and amunity is granted thats a snitches dream so they can get back on the streets and do it all over again.
It's nice to see the tired old response to criticism of the APD. Calling someone a "hoodrat". Please. If they don't like what you say, you are insulted, threatened. Great PR.
One of the previous comments was likely posted by someone associated with the APD. I quote: " 'Some people should care' sounds like a 'hood rat' that her baby's daddy's is one of the little cowards in jail....". This is exactly the kind of disrespectful, slightly rascist attitude that Rev. Murphy spoke of during his experience with the APD. The APD response to this was to deny and hope they would go away. The things that Rev. Murphy spoke of were embarassing and disgraceful. The citizens deserve more respect and professionalism from a police department that they are paying for. The department doesn't like to talk about it, because they know what Murphy said was absolutly true.
The person that dosent want to see the Stats sounds like someone who is affraid of how horrible the truth is. Or put the victims names back out there for all to remember how the 90's were. I say we put faces with those names and publish them now. Not to mention that creep had to put out there the poor child died because of his uncles gang affiliation. A child died violently regardless of whatever circumstanses were and our city officials should show passion. Because of their inactions or reckless conduct that led up to that childs deaf we are all guilty. They accepted their pay raises and overtime. What did our community get out of it. Sounds like an excuse not to work hard on it or care that there was such a young VICTIM. Take responsibility for whatever inactions wasnt taken that let the gang problem get so out of control to that point. We are talking from 1989 to 1996 that they couldnt get a grasp on. How many of those victims wasnt gang relate and not solved. Is it LAPD or APD.
well its odd that Father Leak has rode with APD for almost 30 years and has never mentioned the same stories as Rev Murphy, ohh but let me guess, he is part of the cover up also. As in for the gang problem, the most blame should be put on the parents!!!! don't blame APD for 13-15 years of bad parenting. Why is it that arrest are made on cold case murders and you hear "dirty cops, dirty snitches". No arrests made and you would of heard "lazy cops". Its funny how people ask for the police to get tough in certain gang invested neighborhoods. Then when they start messing with gang members hanging out on the streets, the same neighborhood says "their racist", "why are you picking on those kids", "dont you have anything else better to do".
For the person who said they would pass on the ride along, because of Rev Murphy!! Well go on over to St Joe's, talk with Father Leak. But Im sure you will have some excuse of why you cant do that either.
Beacon News front page story!!! person charged in 98 murder!!! one more for the good guys!!! maybe more to come!! any yes you can take the foot out of your mouth now!!!
The person who does not use punctuation said: "amunity is granted thats a snitches dream so they can get back on the streets and do it all over again."
In case you are confused, this person meant "immunity". Let me ask this person:
Do you really think that the "snitches" like taking the stand?
Do you think it is easy for the law enforcement to get them to testify against their own "brothers"?
Do you really think they think of it as a dream? To be put in a position of either going to jail or giving up information on their friends?
Do you really think they can go back to the streets and go back to their old life after doing this? Or do they fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones for what they did?
Great for the good guys. The point I was getting at was if it had not been for cooperating witnesses you would have nothing. not today or tomorrow. It would remain a mistery. Not to mention the guy who did it might not be caught. How many of those murders were able to remain free and kill again or raise through the ranks. Yes the fault starts at home but the police are there to serve and protect. APD's gang task force was a gang they did beat up on young gang members. And citizens witnessed those actions and that took away from their trust and professionalism. Names and incidences could be named but what good does all that do. We are talking about fixing the problems. Not making them worse with the back and forth and kindergarten finger pointing. Did anyone read the blog on the Naperville murder. Probally not. They have like 30 people discussing the issue. All I am getting at is why cant we debate it in a way that they are debating theirs and get more people involved tell your friends and family to read this blog. It is a start. Lets do something while we still can. Get involved!
The APD produces a nice TV show for ACTV and WSPY-TV. It's good public relations. However, it does not really address some of the more negative but real issues. For instance: Why couldn't APD find Marilyn Bethell's body when they knew it known she was likely the victim of foul play ? Why is the Lead Investigator of that search still a Lead Investigator ? Why did Chief Perkins leave his post as Chief for a lesser job in some small town ? Why was former Chief Perkins allowed top remain in law enforcement ? What is the real reason the FBI was brought in to oversee Aurora gang investigations. Why are some Officers "protected' from complaints because they are "associated" with the Seargant taking the complaint ? Why are lawsuits against the APD not publicized ? Why are Officers with ten or more complaints from different people not identified to the public ? Why did the department chose to ignore and deny what Rev. Michael Murphy reported ? Why are the number of complaints not reported to the public ? Good public realtions also involves being forthright and honest about the some of the less than pleasant issues.
CETERA REPLIES:
Mr. X,
I'd like to weigh in on the lawsuit question (I can't really address the others). We write stories about APD lawsuits. Is there one in particular you think we've missed?
Mike Murphy's credibility was next to nil.
The FBI was invited to Aurora because federal sentences are real - not the state sentences that are less than half of their stated time.
John Perkins is a good man who left to take a better job elsewhere. He was never 'Chief' here, he was deputy chief. He left to be chief in another department because he is a bright talented officer. There's nothing untoward about it.
This comment is in response to Really?? You asked me if i really thought it was easy for these snitches to do what there best at and i will have to say hell yeah you honestly think the word friend means anything when your looking at prison time? Please some of these snitches have made a long time effort to snitch because they can gain from it. You also asked if i really believe they would go back to a life of crime just google People Of The United States Vs Brian C Torres you will see that even back in 1991 you had gangmemers telling stories and getting paid for them or getting lesser time in exchange. Aurora has been messed up for a long time almost 20 years to long. I to have been a victim and i have lost family members to the streets and guess what the people responsible will never see a day in prison for what they have done.Why because they have made deals with prossecution. So you tell me what or who get to decide what cases deserve justice? what makes one case more than the other?
I dont believe the FBI was invited. I believe that had so many cases from informants that they earned and established good cases that they came to APD out of professionalism. How would it look on APD's part if they did Juan Corral on their own with out bringing them in on it. We all know the FBI has got everyone in town looking over their shoulders. No one should take anything away from APD's role in everything, but their is some sour apples out there. Alot of people looked the other way for too many years hoping it would fix itself. It didn't. I still hear people complain about state sentencing. Well turn in solid clean cases that would get real attention and no need for pleading down. Communicate with the procecutor and demand no pleading down. Last I knew we ELECTED OUR JUDGES AND STATES ATTORNEYS. Tell them that you blog their name in the dirt. Demand outcomes. But it was done by rush and move on to the next. WE ARE STILL NO SOLVING ISSUES.
"So you tell me what or who get to decide what cases deserve justice? what makes one case more than the other?"
The ones that are solveable get charged. They are not ranked in importance and one is not more deserving than the other. If anything, they would be ranked in importance by the person who did the murder more than the victim. Getting a person off the street who has done several murders and will do many more is important. In order to get justice for many murders, a few have to be plead down in order to get cooperation of witnesses. That is the ugly truth. I'd rather have it that way than have none of them solved. And it will stay that way until the community decides to stand against the gangs and good people speak up about what they know and what they see.
I do agree with all of that. You get the mass murder convicted to natural life in a cage, with little human contact. Then you will get people to hopefully say I dont want to live like that. But if they are consistantly getting away with it others will think it is just as easy and be encouraged to do it more often. the 90's effect. Makes it easier for Gangs to force someone to do it and rationalize it with he killed four people and he killed 2 and he has a notch on his belt too. So why not you, are you scared not down with the nation of whatever. Where is you loyalty at. What kind of rebuttal can a 16 year old have when there is no examples of people getting life sentences and everyone who killed someone has nice cars, hot girls, drugs, and juice within the gang. RESPECT. They dont realize that those guys are not as smart as the people in their age group and will have the greatest chance at nothing.
I googled People Of The United States Vs Brian C Torres and got nothing. can you please post the link. I know who Brian Torres is, didnt he do like 15 years for his part in the Denis Evans Murder. Did your relative's murder get off? And if so Why? Was others involved? I mean Did the other killers who was told on at least kill several times or was in a leadership role were they we dangerous. I mean how does it weigh, did he help solve multiple murders. And by the way it was always rumored that there were other involved in the Denis Evans Murder that never got caught, because the ones charged pretty much stayed quite. Some times sacrifices must be made to benifit the good of the community.
Here is that link good readings. Like I said before some innocent people rumored to of went to jail and some guilty got off. I am sure after a mess like that the procecutor was like thanks for the clean case. what an embarrasment on them all.
http://www.state.il.us/court/opinions/appellatecourt/1999/2nddistrict/June/HTML/2971104.htm
I wonder if it is the same Michael Waters as the one that testified against that fugitive who got caught in Texas a few weeks back on a drug warrant.
The stuff you can learn by Google.
well im glad someone read that can you see were these gang members claim to help to community by telling on others and yet they still remained gangmembers after the fact and here we are 19 years later and there still telling to save there own a**
I live near East Aurora High School on George Ave. Recently I watched out my window as a few officers chased a young Hispanic kid down and at first it appeared that they were being to rough on him. I watched as one officer by himself wrestled around with him, threw him to the ground, and handcuffed him. Then I was shocked as they pulled the kid up, reached in the front of his pants, and pulled out a gun. Later I talked to a neighbor who overheard the cops talking about a rival gang member standing down the street in front of the school. Thank God no other kids got shot by this little punk carrying a gun. At first I felt sorry for him, but then when I saw that gun, I almost got sick. I have lived on the east side for many years and I dont know or have met this Rev Murphy. I do know Father Leake, who has rode around with the police for years, and I know if he had seen anything bad he would have said something by now.
It is a little odd how Alex Ramos was able to play the system so many different times. Someone must of been effected by Alex. Speak of your loss, help us understand. Also the People that do the ride alongs, believe me dont see much. Not to mention how often do they ride once a week. Crime dosent seem to take a break, it happens 7 days aweek.
Congrats for getting another one of the Steets.