Dimitri Allen, a 26-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on March 25, 2019, in Joliet, Illinois. The incident occurred in the late morning hours, around 11:55 a.m., when Joliet police responded to a call of gunshots near Ada Street and Cutter Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found Dimitri Allen in the yard of a residence in the 1100 block of Cutter Avenue, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Despite being rushed to Silver Cross Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Dimitri Allen's death revealed that he was shot during a robbery attempt. Joliet Police Department detectives worked tirelessly to identify the suspects involved in this heinous crime. Their efforts led to the arrest of Omar Turner, who was 21 years old at the time of his capture. Turner was charged with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with Allen's death. He was apprehended by members of the United States Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force after a brief chase and was subsequently held at the Will County Jail with a bail set at $5 million.
In addition to Omar Turner, another suspect, Tatiyana Brown, was also arrested in connection with the murder. Brown, who was 19 years old at the time, was charged with first-degree murder. The criminal complaint indicated that Brown, while committing a forcible felony (robbery), shot Dimitri Allen with a firearm, causing his death. Brown was arrested in Lisle and held at the Will County Jail with a bail set at $1 million. Joliet Police Department Deputy Chief of Investigations Darrell Gavin mentioned that detectives were still looking into other individuals who might be connected to the homicide, suggesting that additional arrests could be made in the future.
The arrests of Turner and Brown brought some sense of closure to Dimitri Allen's family and friends, who had been seeking justice for his untimely death. Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans expressed pride in the detectives' relentless efforts to solve the case and thanked the Will County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service for their assistance. The case highlighted the dedication and perseverance of law enforcement in bringing those responsible for such violent crimes to justice.
