Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 2-3

3 NCHICAGO TRIBUNE METRO SECTION2 A 30-year-old Skokie man who was shot four times early Sunday in a suspected gang-related incident in Schaumburg was not cooperating with the investigation, police said Monday. The mansuffered gunshot wounds to the groin and wrist and had two graze wounds, said Acting Sgt. John Nebl, Schaumburg police spokesman.The man was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights at about 4 a.m. Sunday. The injuries were not life-threatening, Nebl said.

told us he would not sign a criminal Nebl said. According to police, the man and a 31- year-old Palatine man left a restaurant in the 1600 block of East Algonquin Road in unincorporated Cook County, and walked to a car parked south of Algonquin Road in Schaumburg. A man wearing a hooded sweat shirt approached the men and opened fire a pretty close on the Skokie man, Nebl said. Police believe a gang-related dispute likely preceded the shooting, said Nebl, who did notidentify the victim as a gang member. The companion also refused to cooperate with investigators, Nebl said.

SCHAUMBURG Skokie man shot; gang-tie suspected An Evanston man was ordered held on $750,000 bail after he was charged in the May home invasion and sexual assault of a Northwestern University student in her apartment, authorities said Monday. Darryl Deshawn Preston, 24, of the 2100 block of Dewey Avenue is charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, unlawful restraint and residential burglary in the May 8 attack on a 22- year-old woman in her apartment on the 1200 block of Simpson Street, police said. Police said Preston was arrested Friday after he was linked to the assault by DNA evidence collected at the crime scene. The victim told police she was approached from behind as she entered her building at about 11:25 p.m. and was forced into her apartment, where she was sexually assaulted and robbed.

Police said Preston tied up the woman with a telephone cord and fled. Preston is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Aug. 16 at the Skokie courthouse. EVANSTON Suspect held in assault on NU student in May Rapper and actor Mos Def testified Monday in federal court on behalf of former Death Row inmate Aaron Patterson, who received a rare gubernatorial pardon in 2003 but is now awaiting sentencing on gun and drug charges. The testimony reinforced contention that he worked as a community activist after being released from prison, said lawyer, Andrea Gambino.

was recognizing what Aaron has been doing, Gambino said. She said Patterson had encouraged Mos Def to use his celebrity show young people a positive direction to go The sentencing hearing is set to continue at 11 a.m. Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer. Federal prosecutors have argued that, in fact, Patterson never abandoned his life as a gang intent on defending his drug territory.

Marshals wrestled Patterson to the floor Friday after he refused to stop interrupting Pallmeyer. On Monday, Patterson was back in the courtroom, but wearing leg chains and handcuffs. CHICAGO Rap artist, actor testifies in federal drug hearing Bail was set Monday at $150,000 for an Arlington Heights man accused of punching a Mt. Prospect woman after breaking into her apartment over the weekend, authorities said. Isaias Toga, 21, of the 1100 block of East Algonquin Road, was charged with a felony count of home invasion, police said.

Bail was set at a hearing in the Rolling Meadows branch of Cook County Circuit Court. Police said Toga broke into a ground- floor apartment in the 2000 block of West Algonquin Road around 3:30 a.m. Saturday by removing a bedroom window. A 27-year-old woman, who was asleep in the living room, told police she woke to find an intruder next to her, said Mt. Prospect Police Officer Dirk Ollech.

After the woman began to scream, the intruder took off his shirt and threatened to tie her with it, said Andy Conklin, a office spokesman. Toga hit the woman several times in the face, authorities said. Toga fled but was arrested near Algonquin and Briarwood Drive, Ollech said. MT. PROSPECT Bail set for man accused in weekend break-in Toga METROPOLITAN DIGEST By Mickey Ciokajlo Tribune staff reporter Legislation to extend the so-called 7 percent property- tax cap in Cook County may be on the move again after a long debate over how generous to make the replacement relief plan.

Akey Senate sponsor said Monday that lawmakers would compromise in favor of abill pushed by House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago, even as a group of Chicago aldermen complained it was not good enough. The 2004 tax-cap law is scheduled to expire for Chicago homeowners this year and in the suburbs over the next two years.It raised the exemption on each hometo a maximum of $20,000 to limit the annual increase in the taxable assessed value to 7 percent. The Illinois Senate in February passed a bill that would have renewed the tax-cap law and increased the amount of the exemption to $60,000. But in late May the House passed a version that dramatically reduced the exemp- tionproposed by the Senate. In addition, the House targeted relief for people who have owned their homes for at least 10 years and whose annual household income does not exceed $75,000.

House leaders said the Senate version was overly generous, especially for homeowners who could afford to pay the higher taxes. Agroup of Chicago aldermen held a news conference at City Hall to complain that the House version would help homeowners this fall but would allow tax bills to jump 40 percent in the next two years as the exemption limit is reduced. are going to be forced out of our said Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th), who co-wrote aletter saying the House version will give taxpayers a sense of Despite the concerns, the House version appeared to be picking up speed. Mayor Richard Daley has signed on to the House version because he wants to ensure can provide our residents with good relief as op- posed to spokeswoman Jodi Kawada said.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich shares the cerns, but unlikely he would veto the House version if what lands on his desk, spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said. Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), the chief sponsor of the Senate version, said he expects the Senate will approve the exemption provisions passed by the House. But he said the bill will include a requirement for a review next year to possibly increase the exemption for 2008 and 2009.

Property tax aid gets 2nd life Senate compromise may mean a cap for Cook homeowners By Azam Ahmed and Jason Meisner Tribune staff reporters Aman suspected in the slaying of a woman whose body was found stuffed in a garbage bag in a Northwest Side apartment was arrested at International Airport on Monday morning with a one-way ticket to Mexico City. The police said thesus- pect was a former boyfriend of the mother. Family members said the man was infatuated with Deena David, 35, and that he had threatened her life before. body was discovered Sunday by family members who noticed a suspicious odor coming from the apartment and kicked down the door before finding her decomposed body in a bedroom closet. The man was apprehended early Mondaymorning, less than one hour before he was to board a flight to Mexico City.

Detectives e-mailed his photo to investigators at who spotted him at the International Terminal about 2:30 a.m., police said. The case began as a missing-person investigation Saturday after half-sis- ter, Maria Ramirez, reported that David had been missing since late Wednesday. Relatives noticed the odor at the apartment around 3 p.m. Sunday and called police. An autopsy conducted Monday determined that she had been strangled, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Deputy Chief of Detectives Michael Chasen said the suspect had a statement implicating in death, but he would not elaborate. Ramirez said she last saw her half-sister on Wednesday when they were at a bar together. David had forgotten her ID and left, and no one heard from her after that, Ramirez said. Ramirez said she slept in the Belmont Avenue apart- ment on Wednesday and again on Friday, but did not notice an odor. me sleeping in there knowing my sister is in another room bagged up, just Ramirez said.

On Saturday, Ramirez said, she looked into the bedroom where the body was found and smelled something she thought was just Later that day, she filed the missing-person report. When they went back to the apartment on Sunday the odor was overwhelming, Ramirez said. David had two children, ages 12 and 11, Ramirez said. just really hurt right now. She was a person really close to Ramirez said.

was a good mother and agreat Tribune photo by Michael Tercha Jasmine Paredes (left) comforts Maria Ramirez, the half-sister of Deena David, whose body was found Sunday in an apartment closet. was a good mother and a great Ramirez said of David. Suspect in death is apprehended at A suspect arrested in the slaying of Deena David, 35, was ready to board a flight to Mexico City, police say. By William Presecky Tribune staff reporter Kane County transportation officials are lining up behind an effort by Metra to secure the federal funding needed to greatly improve capacity and speed on its Union Pacific West line between Chicago and Elburn. The 44-mile commuter rail line, which serves 62 communities in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties, handles about 29,000 passenger trips a day on 59 trains.

The aim of the proposed $441 million upgrade is to allow service to expand to as many as 80 trains a day and to increase the number of express trains from 20 to 30 daily. Aresolution endorsing the proposed commuter option for the west suburban corridor was forwarded Monday to the Kane County Board with the unanimous recommendation of its Transportation Committee. The growth in residential development and job centers in Kane and DuPage has generated increased demand for commuter rail service in the region. The major rail improvements being proposed include signal system upgrades, additional track and restructuring the line in Chicago where it intersects the Milwaukee West line, Milwaukee North line and North Central line. The crossing is the busiest in northeastern Illinois, Metra officials said.

The slower travel times on the UP-West line cause many commuters in its service area to opt for travel on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line to its south for faster express service. Public hearings on the proposed upgrade were held this month in Elmhurst and Geneva. Metra upgrade proposal backed By Jo Napolitano Tribune staff reporter The family of a missing Plainfield woman hopes two billboards to be unveiled Tuesday in that community, asking is Lisa will help generate new tips. A third billboard is set to go up later this month in Hodgkins. Featuring a photo of a smiling Stebic, information on the $60,000 reward and the tip hot line, 815-267-7217, the billboards are expected to stay up for at least six weeks, said Michael Wells, general manager of CBS Outdoor, which donated the space to family.

They are likely to go up along Interstate Highway 55 just north of Caton Farm Road and on U.S. Highway 30 just west of I-55 in Plainfield. Later this month, the third should appear near the 1st Avenue exit of I-55. The billboard space was donated by the outdoor advertising company, whose corporate parent is CBS after a call from the Stebic family, Wells said. The family believes the billboards might help because some area residents may not be aware of disappearance despite the intense media coverage, said Melanie Greenberg, cousin and the family spokeswoman.

Hopefully, someone who may have information will see the billboards, she said. everyone reads the newspaper or watches TV she said. need to reach people every way we can and keep her picture out Deputy Plainfield Police Chief Mark Eiting said local police welcomed the billboards. could play an important part in our he said. Stebic, 37, a mother of two, was last seen April 30 by her estranged husband, Craig Stebic, inside the family home.

Police have said they believe there is a chance she met with foul play. This month, law-enforcement officials said Craig Steb- ic is a of in the case. He has repeatedly maintained his innocence. At the time Lisa Stebic van- ished, the couple were divorcing but continued to live in the same home, in partto ease the transition for their two children, ages 10 and 12. Greenberg said the children are staying with Craig Steb- sister in Iowa.

Craig Steb- ic has denied interview requests for him and the children on the advice of his attorney, Dion Davi. The family of missing Plainfield resident Lisa Stebic got CBS Outdoor to donate space on three billboards to get the message out about her disappearance. Billboards donated in search for Stebic By Jason Meisner and Mary Owen Tribune staff reporters A 16-year-old boy was charged as an adult Monday in the death of a 3-year-old West Side girl who suffered a head trauma while in his care, police said. About 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the was caring for three children in his West Humboldt Park the toddler with a leather belt and aluminum broomstick until it broke after shesoiled her pants, Sgt.

Steven Konow said. After the girl vomited around the house as a result of her injuries, the boy her with his fist until she passed Konow said. When he could not revive her, he called 911 to the home in the 4200 block of West Division Street. The girl was identified as Azuil Warren, according to the Cook County medical ex- office. The father is dating the motherand they live together with the four children at that address, Konow said.

The teenager was watching the children while the parents were at work. The girlwas pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m. Monday in Mt. Sinai Hospital, according to the medical office. Medical reports stated she had suffered severe brain trauma, but an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine a specific cause of death, a spokesman said.

Teenager charged as an adult in death of 3-year-old girl in his care Product: CTMETRO PubDate: 07-24-2007 Zone: Edition: HD Page: METROP3-3 User: bfletcher Time: Color:.