Hussein Saghir, a 36-year-old Lebanese immigrant, was tragically killed on January 19, 2014, in Bensenville, Illinois. Saghir, who worked at Sam’s Tobacco and Food Mart, was shot outside the store around 6 p.m. while he and his brother were closing up for the night. The incident occurred during an attempted armed robbery. Surveillance footage revealed that two males confronted Saghir and his brother, attempting to force them back into the store. During the altercation, one of the assailants pulled out a handgun and shot Saghir before fleeing the scene. Saghir was rushed to Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Saghir's murder led to the arrest and prosecution of three individuals. Kenneth Bardlett, 24, from Bellwood, Illinois, was one of the key suspects. Bardlett initially entered a plea of guilty to one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, a class X felony, and agreed to testify against his co-defendants. However, during the trial, Bardlett provided false testimony, leading the court to withdraw his plea agreement and reinstate first-degree murder charges. Bardlett was ultimately sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the murder.
Two other men, Tremayne Davis, 27, and Stephan Russell, 25, both from Chicago, were also implicated in the crime. Davis pleaded guilty to one count of attempted armed robbery with a firearm and received an eight-year prison sentence. Russell was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted armed robbery with a firearm. During the trial, it was revealed that Russell, Bardlett, and Davis had planned the robbery, with Davis remaining in the car while Bardlett and Russell confronted Saghir and his brother. Following a brief altercation, Saghir was shot and killed. Russell was sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his involvement in the murder.
The case was extensively investigated by the Bensenville Police Department, the Major Crimes Task Force, and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. The tragic death of Hussein Saghir left a profound impact on his family and the local community, who remembered him as a kind and helpful individual. The successful prosecution of the perpetrators brought some measure of justice for Saghir's family, though the loss of their loved one remains deeply felt.
