Prosecutors say three suspects tied up an elderly man during a home invasion in Riverwoods where they ransacked his house before an exchange of gunfire occurred, leaving one of the suspects shot.
The Riverwoods Police Department responded around 11:05 p.m. Sunday to a residence in the 400 block of Greenbriar Lane for a report of a robbery.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Hillary Price Cohen said the victim reported receiving a text earlier in the day from Keshaun R. Handcox, 19, of Chicago, who he had met in February through a website for “companionship and dating.”
Handcox asked the victim, who is over 70 years old, if he would like her to come over and he said yes. The woman also asked to bring her girlfriend over.
Price Cohen said Handcox arrived around 9:15 p.m. that evening with Aaliyah L. Baker, 20, of Calumet Park.
The man brought the two to his family room where he opened a bottle of liquor and poured drinks for the three of them.
Price Cohen said Handcox asked to use the bathroom but instead went to the front door and opened it, allowing a man later identified as Joshua M. Mitchell, 29, of Chicago, into the home.
Mitchell was wearing a ski mask while holding a handgun when he charged into the home toward the victim, Price Cohen said.
Mitchell allegedly pointed the gun at the head of the victim and ordered him to lie on the ground face first.
Price Cohen said the man grabbed a pillow case and tied the victim’s hands behind his back with it.
Mitchell pointed the gun at the victim’s head and told the resident to keep his head down and not look, Price Cohen said.
Handcox and Baker allegedly began rummaging through closets and drawers in the house.
One of the women eventually called for Mitchell and he gave the gun to Baker, who stayed with the victim, Price Cohen said.
Baker allegedly pointed the gun at the resident and again told him not to move or look.
Price Cohen said Mitchell and Handcox began stealing weapons from the residence. The resident owned rifles, a shotgun and several pistols.
Mitchell came back and took the gun from Baker while again pointing it at the victim’s head, Price Cohen said.
Mitchell allegedly demanded the login credentials for the resident’s bank account and the suspect relayed the login information to someone while he was on the phone with an unknown person.
The victim was brought into the kitchen where Mitchell untied his hands from behind and retied them in the front to the refrigerator handles, Price Cohen said.
All three suspects began rummaging through the house and the victim was able to free himself and retrieve a pistol from a drawer in the kitchen.
The resident fired a shot in the direction of the suspects and then ran towards the front door.
He heard several gunshots fired toward him but was not struck by the rounds, Price Cohen said.
The victim ran to a neighbor’s house for help and pounded on the door asking them to call 911.
The victim’s bank reported several withdrawals totaling over $4,000, Price Cohen said. He also had weapons, credit and debit cards, a cell phone and a watch worth $5,000 to $10,000 stolen during the home invasion.
The Riverwoods Police Department found out that the Glenview Police Department responded to Glenbrook Hospital after two women dropped off a man in the emergency room who was suffering from a gunshot wound.
The two women left the hospital after security started asking questions. The police were notified, leading to them conducting a traffic stop of the women’s vehicle.
Price Cohen said officers found the car was covered in blood. Handcox and Baker were taken into custody and the car was seized.
Handcox told investigators she was the “organizer” and had asked Baker to come with her, Price Cohen said, adding that Baker asked Mitchell to come with them.
Handcox said she knew they were going to rob the victim to make money, Price Cohen said.
All three suspects have been charged with two counts of home invasion, a Class X felony, and additional charges are expected following a further investigation.
Handcox and Baker were transported to the Lake County Jail on Tuesday and appeared in First Appearance Court on Tuesday afternoon.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain the suspects pending trial, calling them a real and present danger to the community.
Mitchell remains in police custody and will be transported to the Lake County Jail “in the near future,” Dayno said.
Baker and Handcox appeared for detention hearings on Wednesday afternoon.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petitions to detain both of them and called the incident a violent “pre-planned, coordinated effort” involving the suspects.
Baker and Handcox are scheduled to appear in court again on August 7 for a preliminary hearing.