On July 1, 2016, Kenneth D. Whitaker, a 34-year-old Black male, was found deceased in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. At approximately 6:20 a.m., officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 7400 block of South Morgan Street, where they discovered Whitaker lying on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds to his head and wrist. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Whitaker resided in the 7000 block of South Paulina Street.
Family members indicated that he was returning home from work when he was shot multiple times in the head in what appeared to be an execution-style killing. Whitaker was a father of three children.
In a significant development, a federal indictment unsealed in 2018 charged several members of the Goonie gang, a Chicago street gang, with multiple violent crimes, including the murder of Kenneth Whitaker. The indictment alleges that on July 1, 2016, Jolicious Turman, a 27-year-old member of the gang, fatally shot 34-year-old Kenneth Whitaker near an elementary school in the 7400 block of South Morgan Street. The charges were part of a broader investigation into the gang's activities, which included ten murders, six attempted murders, and two assaults. The federal racketeering indictment accused four alleged Goonie members of participating in a criminal organization that murdered rivals, intimidated witnesses, and publicly boasted about their activities on social media.
The indictment marked a significant step in addressing gang-related violence in Chicago, particularly in the Englewood neighborhood. The collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement aimed to dismantle the Goonie gang's operations and bring those responsible for violent crimes, including the murder of Kenneth Whitaker, to justice. The case highlighted the challenges and complexities involved in combating gang violence and ensuring community safety.
