On April 10, 2022, Zackery Sallis, a 23-year-old African American male from Matteson, Illinois, was found dead in Park Forest, Illinois. His body was discovered in a car parked in a residential parking lot on the 3400 block of Western Avenue. The Park Forest Police Department responded to a call for a well-being check at approximately 6:30 PM and found Sallis slumped behind the wheel, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office later ruled his death a homicide.
The investigation into Zackery Sallis's death was extensive and involved the Park Forest Police Department in collaboration with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force (SSMCTF). On April 16, 2022, police announced the arrest of a 17-year-old male suspect with addresses in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Chicago Heights, Illinois. The suspect, who was known to the victim, was charged as an adult with first-degree homicide and is currently held at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond. Authorities emphasized that this was not a random crime, indicating a prior relationship between Sallis and the suspect.
The Park Forest Police Department and the Village of Park Forest have expressed their condolences to the family and friends of Zackery Sallis and have committed to seeking justice for him. The case remains under active investigation, and the police have urged anyone with additional information to come forward. The community's assistance has been crucial in making the arrest, and continued cooperation is vital for the ongoing investigation.
