On April 16, 2023, Norman Redden, a 51-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois, was fatally shot in a violent incident that also claimed the life of his girlfriend, Tamera Washington. The perpetrator of the crime was identified as Steven Hawthorne, Washington's ex-boyfriend and a convicted murderer who had been released from prison after serving 33 years of a life sentence.
According to court documents and police reports, Hawthorne entered Washington's home in South Chicago using a key and went upstairs, where he shot and killed Norman Redden while he was in bed. Following the shooting, Hawthorne allegedly chased Tamera Washington outside, where he beat her to death with a large rock. The brutal attack was partially witnessed by Washington's two young daughters, who hid in the house during the incident. A passing motorist intervened, pulling the children to safety during the attack.
At the time of the murders, Hawthorne was out on bond for an "Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon" charge stemming from a January traffic stop. He had previously been convicted of murder in 1983 as a teenager and was released from prison in 2017 after his sentence was reduced due to a Supreme Court ruling that life sentences without parole for juveniles were unconstitutional. Despite his involvement in community organizing and rehabilitation efforts after his release, Hawthorne's recent actions have raised questions about the effectiveness of early release programs for violent offenders.
Hawthorne was arrested shortly after the incident, found running from the scene covered in blood and wearing his GPS monitoring bracelet, which had tracked him near Washington's home at the time of the murders. He is currently being held without bond and is due back in court for further proceedings.
