Mutasim Sulieman, a 33-year-old male, was tragically killed on May 3, 2019, in Humboldt Park, Chicago. Sulieman, who owned a cellphone store, was ambushed and fatally shot as he was closing his store, Division Quick Stop and Cellular, located at 3657 W. Division Street. The attack occurred in the presence of Chicago police officers who witnessed the shooting and pursued the assailant, but were unable to apprehend him immediately.
The investigation revealed that Sulieman's murder was a
targeted hit orchestrated by Terran Scott and Deshon Jones, who were both incarcerated at the time. Sulieman had been a key witness in a 2016 murder case involving Scott and Jones, who were accused of killing Tommie Lee Pledge inside Sulieman's store. The murder was meticulously planned through recorded phone calls from Cook County Jail, where Scott and Jones were being held. They coordinated with Kyrell Pittmon, a 19-year-old male, who carried out the shooting.
Pittmon, who was on electronic home monitoring for a pending gun case, was identified as the shooter through DNA evidence from a face mask he dropped at the scene and extensive phone records. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. During the investigation, it was uncovered that Pittmon had broken his electronic monitoring restrictions to commit the murder, and his movements were tracked through surveillance footage and electronic monitoring records.
In addition to Pittmon, another individual, Tramell Scott, was later charged with participating in the murder. The case against Scott and Jones, who had orchestrated the hit from jail, continued to develop as prosecutors gathered more evidence, including the statements Sulieman had made before his death. These statements were admitted into evidence against Scott and Jones, who remained in custody awaiting trial.
The murder of Mutasim Sulieman highlights the dangers faced by witnesses in criminal cases and the lengths to which some individuals will go to silence them. The case also underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in protecting witnesses and ensuring that justice is served.
