A Lake County Grand Jury has indicted a Waukegan man with first-degree murder after prosecutors say he fatally shot a person in Beach Park.
Cyncere L. Tillman, 24, of Waukegan, was indicted Wednesday on three counts of murder. He is due back in court for arraignment on March 26.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 12:10 p.m. on February 9 to the 39300 block of Melbourne Court in Beach Park for a report of shots fired.
A 911 caller reported they heard several shots fired in the area, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
The caller also reported seeing two African American men, ages 20-25, running from the scene.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and located several spent shell casings on the roadway along with shattered glass from a car, Covelli said.
Deputies also learned a gunshot victim was dropped off at the emergency room at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the gunshot victim as Tavontee Fox, 24, of Waukegan. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
An autopsy showed he suffered multiple gunshot wounds, Banek said.
Covelli said Fox was a passenger in the car, which was parked on Melbourne Court, when the shooting occurred.
A home was also struck by gunfire, Covelli said. Nobody inside the home was injured.
Covelli said the investigation showed Fox had arranged to meet Tillman near a home on Melbourne Court.
Prosecutors said Tillman and Fox had been arranging a meetup so Fox could purchase a .38 revolver.
Covelli said an argument ensued during the interaction and Tillman produced a firearm, firing multiple rounds at Fox and the driver of the car.
The shooting occurred after one of the two suspects asked Fox to see the money that he brought for the transaction, prosecutors said.
The driver of the car who was with Fox told investigators that neither he nor Fox were armed and they did not return fire at the shooter.
Tillman was later identified as the gunman through evidence and thorough investigative work, Covelli said, adding that Fox and Tillman were “associates.”
Tillman was arrested in February at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan when he arrived at court for a different pending case.
Tillman was out on a $150,000 bond in an August 2023 case where he was charged with manufacturing or delivering of heroin and cocaine in Waukegan.
Also at the time of the murder, Tillman was on parole for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a 2020 case.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the fatal shooting investigation and initially approved two counts of first-degree murder against Tillman.
Tillman remains held in the Lake County Jail after Lake County Judge James Simonian denied his pre-trial release.