A second man has been arrested for murder in a 2018 home invasion and fatal shooting in Zion that was reportedly motivated by one of the victims posting online about winning a large settlement.
The Zion Police Department responded to the 2800 block of Edina Boulevard in Zion on February 16, 2018, for a report of a home invasion.
Police found a man and two women, between the age of 24-43, who were shot inside the house.
One of the women, identified as Kaleah Beville, 36, of Zion, was shot multiple times and was airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she later died.
The two others were also transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force and Zion Police Department conducted a large-scale investigation, leading to the arrest of Zavian Wells, 30, of Round Lake Beach, who was allegedly involved in the home invasion.
Wells was charged with first-degree murder, among other charges, and has been held in the Lake County Jail on a $3 million bond since February 2018 pending his jury trial scheduled for April 17.
Prosecutors dismissed some of Wells’ charges in August 2018, court records show.
Detectives knew Wells was not the only suspect in the incident based on victim and witness statements, police said.
“While detectives had additional suspect names, corroborative evidence with which to prosecute was not easy to obtain,” the Zion Police Department said.
“Nevertheless, detectives remained relentless in the pursuit of justice. With significant assistance from the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, Zion detectives were able to obtain additional key pieces of information to put together support for the indictment of a second offender in this case,” the department said.
In January, a grand jury indicted Tracy Davis, 34, of Minnesota, on several charges including first-degree murder.
A judge issued a warrant for Davis’ arrest and a nationwide search ensued, with detectives locating him residing in a Minneapolis suburb in Minnesota.
Davis was arrested and extradited to the Lake County Jail last week.
In a bond hearing last Tuesday, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Kalcheim Rothenberg said one of the victims posted on social media about receiving a large amount of money after winning a settlement.
The suspects, including Davis, allegedly attempted to rob the victim on February 15, 2018, but only stole his car and car keys.
The next day, while the victim was at his mother’s Zion home on Edina Boulevard, two men not previously involved in the prior robbery entered the house and looked for cash, Rothenberg said.
As the men were leaving, one of them allegedly shot the three victims.
Rothenberg said an incriminating phone call was held between Davis and an inmate in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
Davis is allegedly heard speaking with Wells in the background of the call, which was recorded by IDOC.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak set Davis’ bond at $5 million. Prosecutors did not request Davis be held without bond.
Davis remains held in the Lake County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment on February 22.
The Zion Police Department said the investigation remains open and additional charges may be pending for two other subjects also involved in the home invasion.
They added that crimes of this nature do not have a statute of limitations and detectives “will not stop until all of the offenders are given a chance to answer to a judge in a court of law.”