Sheila Banks, a 61-year-old African American woman, was found dead in her Uptown apartment in Chicago, IL, on April 10, 2022. Sheila Banks was discovered alongside her husband, Ocie Banks Sr., a 79-year-old African American man, after a well-being check was conducted by the police. The couple was found in the bedroom of Sheila's apartment at the Wilson Yard senior housing complex. Sheila Banks had sustained a gunshot wound to the side of her head, while Ocie Banks Sr.
had multiple gunshot wounds and trauma to his face. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the cause of death for both individuals as homicide.
The investigation into the deaths of Sheila Banks and Ocie Banks Sr. revealed that there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment, which was locked when the police arrived. This led the authorities to suspect that the perpetrator was someone known to the victims. The couple's son, Ocie Banks Jr., a 33-year-old African American man, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. According to the police, Ocie Banks Jr. had a history of physically abusing his father and had a pending federal armed robbery case against him.
Surveillance footage from the building showed Ocie Banks Jr. entering his mother's apartment with his father and two other relatives on the night of April 8, 2022, for a card party. The footage also showed everyone leaving around 3 a.m., except for Ocie Banks Jr. and his parents. Ocie Banks Jr. was seen leaving the apartment around 6 a.m. on April 9, 2022. No one else entered or exited the apartment until the police arrived on the night of April 10, 2022, to conduct the well-being check.
Ocie Banks Jr. was taken into custody without bond and appeared in bond court, where the judge ruled that he remain in custody. The case against him is ongoing, with the authorities continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Sheila Banks and Ocie Banks Sr. The tragic incident has left the community in shock, with neighbors and family members mourning the loss of Sheila Banks, who was described as a bright and lovely person, excited about her upcoming retirement and the future.
