In the middle of a Tuesday afternoon on March 24, 2026, Jerry L. Lewis, a 67-year-old man, was walking on the Near West Side of Chicago, just a few blocks from the United Center. A respected and beloved figure in his community, Lewis was a successful contractor and developer known for mentoring others and for his significant involvement in the "1901 Project," a massive redevelopment plan for the area.
His wife, Zandra, would later describe him as a loving husband, father, and grandfather who was a hardworking and unselfish man, always dedicated to helping others succeed.
Tragically, as Lewis walked near Madison and Leavitt streets around 12:45 p.m., he was ambushed in what prosecutors would later describe as a brazen "assassination." Two men, later identified as Nassie Mason, 28, and Erving Harris, 31, had been lying in wait. Surveillance footage revealed they had been parked in a stolen Honda for 90 minutes, anticipating Lewis's appearance. As Lewis waited for a secretary to grant him access to one of his buildings, the two assailants, wearing ski masks and latex gloves, exited their vehicle, approached him, and opened fire. Mason allegedly shot Lewis once in the back of the head, and Harris then fired three more shots into his body. Lewis was rushed to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The murder, though shocking in its execution, was witnessed by six Chicago police officers who were patrolling the area in an unmarked vehicle. The officers saw the entire event unfold and were able to apprehend Mason and Harris within seconds of the shooting. Two semi-automatic guns were recovered at the scene. Both suspects, who have extensive criminal histories including prior firearm offenses, were quickly taken into custody. At the time of the attack, Harris was reportedly on parole for an aggravated carjacking conviction.
Nassie Mason and Erving Harris were subsequently charged with first-degree murder and felony possession of a weapon. During a court hearing, prosecutors detailed the planned and targeted nature of the killing, leading a judge to order both men to be held without bond at the Cook County Jail pending their trial. While the two men accused of ending his life face the justice system, a motive for the murder of Jerry Lewis has not yet been established by authorities. His death has left a profound void in the community he worked so diligently to improve.
