Cypress Harris, a 33-year-old African American male, was tragically shot to death on December 6, 2018, in Lyons, Illinois. The incident occurred around 2:45 a.m. at the Presidential Inn motel located on Harlem Avenue. According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, Harris was pronounced dead less than an hour after the shooting. An autopsy revealed that he died from multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Harris had moved to Kentucky to escape the violence
in his hometown but was back in Chicago to celebrate a friend's birthday when the fatal incident occurred. On the night of the shooting, Harris was in a motel room with friends when he called Oshen Wells, an 18-year-old female acquaintance, to join them. Shortly after, Jonathan Yates, a 27-year-old male, arrived at the motel. According to witnesses and surveillance footage, Yates and Wells attempted to rob Harris, leading to a gunfight. Harris was struck multiple times, while Yates suffered a graze wound.
Both Yates and Wells were subsequently charged with first-degree murder in connection with Harris's death. During a court hearing, it was revealed that Wells had called Yates to the motel room with the intention of robbing Harris. Surveillance footage showed Yates and Wells fleeing the scene in a white SUV, which was later traced back to Yates. He had been released from prison just a few months prior after serving time for a drug charge.
The case against Yates and Wells proceeded with both being held without bail. The investigation into the murder of Cypress Harris highlighted the tragic consequences of gun violence and the risks associated with attempting to escape such environments. Harris was remembered by friends and family as a devoted father and a good person who had hoped to build a better life away from the violence that ultimately claimed his life.
