Money led to murder

Police: Money led to murder
Charges in Buffalo Grove slayings
Originally published Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2006

By Nadia Malik and Kara Spak
Daily Herald Staff Writers

An argument over money led to the gruesome stabbing deaths of a man and a woman last week in Buffalo Grove, police said Thursday.
Robert O. Young, 30, whose last known address was in Arlington Heights, was charged Tuesday with the murders of Sharmaine Gregory, 42, and Catonis "Tony" Jones, 39, police said. Both were murdered in Jones' condominium at 630 Trace Drive.
Young, a convicted felon, was arrested Saturday and after days of questioning was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated arson, police said. A judge Tuesday ordered him held without bond.
"This was not a random act," Buffalo Grove police Cmdr. Steve Husak said in a news conference.
Young had a social relationship with both Gregory and Jones. The apartment he was staying in, 511 Happfield Drive in Arlington Heights, is just blocks away from the condominium on Trace Drive.
Husak said Young often visited the condo.
Jones and Young were reportedly arguing over money late Dec. 13 and into early Thursday morning. Husak said it wasn't clear who owed money to whom.
The argument continued to escalate and, at some point within that time frame, Young stabbed Jones, Husak said.
Michael Gerber, Cook County assistant state's attorney, said at a bond hearing Tuesday that Young reached into his pocket, took out a knife he brought from his Arlington Heights apartment and stabbed Jones 25 times in the back and neck.
He then attacked Gregory, a companion and caretaker to Jones, Gerber said. Young stabbed Gregory more than 40 times in the back and neck area, Gerber said.
"The defendant used such force that two knives he used broke off at the handles," Gerber said.
There were multiple knives found in the apartment, Husak said, and more than 300 pieces of evidence -- including samples of blood -- were gathered from the home.
There is an indication both victims fought back, including Jones, who had been going through dialysis for kidney failure, Husak said. Jones was also awaiting a kidney transplant.
"Both victims had some defensive wounds," Husak said.
Young also had wounds on his hands -- which were bandaged during his appearance at the bond hearing in Rolling Meadows -- because he had cut himself while stabbing the victims, according to Gerber.
The bodies of Gregory and Jones were not discovered until more than a day later, after Young returned Friday and attempted to set a fire to cover the murders, Husak said.
Although the front door was locked, Young came in through the back sliding door, which residents often do, Husak said. Young also took some of Jones' and Gregory's personal property on Friday, according to the state's attorney.
Young then left a pan on a burning stove and a linen towel nearby, authorities said. When firefighters were called to the scene, after a neighbor saw the smoke about 11:50 a.m., they found the pan in a molten lump.
Firefighters found Gregory on the kitchen floor and Jones on the living room floor.
After talking to acquaintances of Jones and Gregory, police tracked Young down to an apartment building at 12449 S. Ashland in Calumet Park, where he was staying with a friend. He had grown up in Calumet Park, according to police, and had been staying with an acquaintance in Arlington Heights until recently.
Husak said when they took Young in for questioning Saturday as a "person of interest," they knew he was somehow involved in the deaths.
Young has a long criminal history, according to Gerber, including convictions for armed robbery and residential burglary. He has been arrested a total of 30 times and convicted seven times, police said. In 1996 he was sentenced to four years in prison on the residential burglary as well as eight years in prison on the armed robbery conviction.
Young is on parole after being sentenced in 2005 to four years in prison for possession of contraband in a penal institution. He also was sentenced to 18 months in prison for obstruction of justice and possession of a motor vehicle out of McLean County. He has a warrant for his arrest issued in July 2005 for criminal trespass to a residence.
Gerber said Young is known to use multiple dates of birth and five Social Security numbers.
Young made a videotaped statement outlining his role in the crime, Gerber said.
Calvin Aguilar, the assistant public defender assigned to represent Young at Tuesday's hearing, said Young is single. He is also the father of two children. He's lived in Cook County all his life, Aguilar said.
Young was denied bond Tuesay afternoon. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Larry Axelrood said the law prohibits bond for anyone who might be sentenced to death if convicted.
Gerber said the state is considering trying Young in a captial case, but a formal decision on that will not be made for months. Young's next court hearing is Jan. 12 in Rolling Meadows.
Louise Gregory, Sharmaine's mother, said she was relieved Young was arrested for her daughter's death.
"I'm glad they arrested him," she said. The Aurora resident said she didn't know Young and had never met him.
Sharmaine lived in Aurora with her three sons, 15, 17 and 21, before she moved in with Jones -- whom she had known for about seven years -- about six months ago to help care for him, her mother said.
She said she's still working on her daughter's funeral arrangements but wanted to keep that information private.
Jones was often seen around the apartment complex with a cane or electric scooter, neighbors said, at times walking his Jack Russell terrier.
Police said although the deaths were preceded by a loud argument, neighbors did not report hearing the ruckus.
Jonathan Torrez, a senior at Buffalo Grove High School who lives in the same building as Jones and Gregory, said the two were quiet. "They kept to themselves," he said.
Besides seeing the smoke stains in the building, Torrez said he hasn't seen any other evidence of the crime. Police tape that surrounded the apartment complex on Friday was gone by Tuesday. "We're less anxious than we were before," Torrez said after news of Young's arrest. "Now we have peace of mind."
Police said because Young knew both his victims, Buffalo Grove residents should rest assured of their safety within town.
Buffalo Grove police said Young's arrest was the result of a collaboration with Lake County Major Crimes Task Force and the Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Laboratory.