William Sandifer, a 25-year-old African American male, was tragically shot to death on June 14, 2016, in Harvey, Illinois. The incident occurred in the 14800 block of Turlington Avenue, where Sandifer was shot in the back. He was pronounced dead at Ingalls Memorial Hospital at 10:14 p.m. that night. The Cook County medical examiner's office confirmed the details of his death, but the circumstances surrounding the shooting were initially unclear.
Further investigation revealed that Sandifer had attended a family gathering on the day of his death. During the event, he left the residence and was confronted by a masked man who emerged from the bushes in the rear of the house. This confrontation led to Sandifer being shot in the back. The investigation by the Harvey Police Department identified Antowaun Mathis, a 31-year-old male, as the primary suspect. Mathis and Sandifer had reportedly been involved in an altercation in the weeks leading up to the shooting and had exchanged words at the family gathering.
Mathis was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Hampton, Virginia, on August 24, 2016. He was found living in a motel in South Holland and was essentially homeless at the time of his arrest. Mathis was held in the Hampton City Jail awaiting extradition to Illinois to face charges related to Sandifer's murder. The police believed that Mathis had waited for Sandifer in the backyard and shot him as he followed shortly after leaving the gathering.
The case highlighted the ongoing issues of violence in Harvey, a suburb with a history of high crime rates. Despite the arrest, the community continued to grapple with the impact of such violent incidents. The fatal shooting of William Sandifer was the second homicide in Harvey in 2016, reflecting the broader challenges faced by the local law enforcement and the community in addressing and preventing violent crimes.
