On August 19, 2024, Robert Little, a 33-year-old man from Chicago, was fatally shot in the Austin neighborhood. The incident occurred around 10:23 p.m. in the 4800 block of West West End Avenue near Cicero Avenue. Robert Little was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the face and arms and was transported by Chicago Fire Department paramedics to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 11:00 p.m..
The investigation led police to identify Osceola L.
Little, 38, of Everett, Washington, as the suspect in Robert Little's murder. Osceola Little is believed to be Robert Little's brother. On August 20, 2024, Osceola Little was involved in a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement in a Chicago suburb, driving a newer-model dark blue Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck that had been flagged as a suspect vehicle in the case. Little fled from law enforcement after the pickup truck rear-ended another vehicle at Route 14 and Pepper Road in Lake Barrington, Illinois.
Following the vehicle crash, Osceola Little and his passenger, Luisa Sanchez, a 22-year-old woman from Cary, Illinois, fled the scene on foot. A large-scale manhunt ensued, involving over 10 drones, 20 canine teams, an Illinois State Police aircraft, and numerous sheriff’s deputies and police officers. The search area was systematically covered, extending from Kelsey Road to the west, Route 22 to the north, Route 14 to the south, and North Harbor Road to the east.
During the manhunt, Sanchez was located at a gas station at Route 14 and Kelsey Road, where she was attempting to blend in with bystanders. She was arrested and found to have hidden a firearm in a bathroom air vent, which was later determined to be the weapon used in Robert Little's murder. Osceola Little was spotted around 6:20 p.m. and, after being confronted by police, he ran into an occupied industrial building in the 21900 block of Pepper Road in Lake Barrington. He was contained to an office room by sheriff’s deputies, who safely evacuated the employees. After negotiations, Little surrendered at approximately 8:15 p.m..
Osceola Little was charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, while Luisa Sanchez was charged with obstructing justice, aiding a fugitive, and unlawful possession of a firearm without a FOID card. Both were denied pre-trial release by Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak due to the severity of the crimes and the risk they posed to public safety. Additional charges are likely to be filed by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Chicago Police Department.
