CHICAGO (CBS) — A 17-year-old charged with murder in the death of Yvonne Ruzich, 70, who was killed in a carjacking attempt in Chicago’s Hegewisch neighborhood, is being held without bond.
Malique Long appeared in court Saturday, where he is being charged as an adult. He was arrested Friday after leaving his home.
Police say the 17-year-old and another juvenile walked up to her car and immediately started shooting the 70-year-old as she waited to go into work at a convenience store at Baltimore Food, Deli & Liquor, 13324 S. Baltimore Ave.
In a proffer, prosecutors said Ruzich was talking to her stepson, who was in his own car double-parked next to hers.
Long and a second suspect who has yet to be charged pulled up in a 2009 Saturn Aura and parked behind the victim, prosecutors said. Long – wearing all black – and the second suspect – wearing all gray – got out of the Saturn with guns in hand, prosecutors said.
The second suspect came up to the area between Ruzich’s car and her stepson’s with Long behind him, prosecutors said. The stepson saw the second suspect coming up with a gun and told Ruzich to drive away, prosecutors said.
The second fired one round into Ruzich’s car. Ruzich then drove off, prosecutors said.
Meanwhile, an unknown third suspect got out of the back of the Saturn and got in the driver’s seat, while the second suspect switched to the back seat and Long got in front passenger seat, prosecutors said. Ruzich’s car made it half a block before crashing into a bike rack and the sidewalk, and the attackers pulled up next to her car in the Saturn again, prosecutors said.
This time, the suspects fired at least seven rounds from a different gun into Ruzich’s car, and ShotSpotter documented a total of nine gunshots in the area, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors Saturday said Ruzich was found with four gunshot wounds to her body, one of which was in her mid-right back. She was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Two different shell casings were found between the crime scenes. A second person, who has not yet been charged, can be seen on camera shooting at Ruzich’s car once. Prosecutors believe, according to the shell casings, that Long fired at least seven shots at her car after she crashed.
Prosecutors also accuse Long of being part of a violent crime spree in the Roseland area prior to the shooting, though he has not been charged in any of the other crimes.
They say starting around 2 a.m. and ending right before 10 a.m., and there were seven victims.
In one incident, at 3 a.m. near 405 E. 110th St., prosecutors say Long and the other juvenile blocked someone in and demanded his car, — the Saturn Aura — then took off with the victim’s iPhone still inside tracking GPS.
Long and the other person were seen at a Citgo gas station at 11600 S. Michigan Ave. with a third unidentified person, who watched their car as they picked up tobacco paper. Prosecutors say Long’s fingerprints are on the paper that was later found in the stolen car by police.
The purchase was caught on surveillance video. The gas station would not give CBS 2 the video, but police did view it.
The Saturn Aura and a Chevrolet Equinox that had also been stolen in a carjacking were both seen at the gas station, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the Chevy Equinox had been carjacked at gunpoint 2 a.m. that morning at 304 E. 117th St. and was traveling with the Saturn Aura shortly after the Saturn was reported carjacked.
The crime spree also involved the attempted carjacking of a Nissan Altima at 511 W. 109th St. at 2:25 a.m., prosecutors said. One suspect wearing all gray and another wearing all black ordered the two people in the Nissan to get out, but they drove off instead and the suspects fired their guns at the car, prosecutors said.
At 2:37 a.m., two people all in black came up and robbed a man at gunpoint at 57 W. 109th St. That victim handed over his keys and the suspects took his 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, which had his temporary ID inside, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say the seventh and last victim was carjacked just before 5 a.m. in the 11200 block of South Vernon Avenue. The other victims iPhone location showed 1111 May St. in Hammond, Indiana in the white Kia Sorrento owned by the seventh victim. Prosecutors say relatives of Long live at that location.
Long, who lives with his mother, is a foster child and attended Hammond High School. He has a 1-year-old daughter.
Ruzich’s family and friends were relieved and grateful upon hearing about Long’s arrest Friday night.
“Everybody clapped and stood up,” Ruzich’s boyfriend Phillip McGivney said Friday. “It was just unbelievable. Justice is being served.”
On Friday, detectives said they are confident they will find the other juvenile involved in the carjacking and shooting that killed Ruzich.
“We know who we’re looking for, and you know, the community that does know who did this – if they could help us out at all, they also know,” said Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan.
Long is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday, Aug. 31 for a preliminary hearing.
He had not been charged in any of the other carjackings as of Saturday night.