Devante R Norwood

Devante R. Norwood, a 24-year-old Black man, was known to some by the nickname "12 Boosie Wee." A resident of Chicago's South Side, he lived in the 6800 block of South Bishop Street. While police sources noted he was a documented gang member, further details about his life, work, and family are not widely available. His death on October 13, 2016, was one of more than 750 homicides in Chicago that year, a period marked by a significant increase in gun violence across the city.

On that Thursday night, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Devante was in the parking lot of a BP gas station in the 7000 block of South Ashland Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood. He had just pulled up to a gas pump and exited his car when an assailant approached him from behind. The attacker shot Devante twice in the head, continuing to fire even after he had fallen to the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:22 p.m. The shooter fled in a black SUV with two other individuals.

The Chicago Police Department launched an investigation into the killing, which they believed to be gang-related. The investigation was aided by surveillance video from the gas station, which captured the entire incident. According to prosecutors, the footage showed three people arriving in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Two of them, including the man later identified as the shooter, went into the gas station before their vehicle moved to the side near the air pumps to wait. The video, along with testimony from two witnesses, one of whom knew one of the suspects, proved crucial in identifying those responsible for Devante's murder.

Within weeks, the investigation led to arrests. On November 16, 2016, police charged 21-year-old Tavaris Dean with first-degree murder and obstructing justice by destroying evidence. He was ordered held on a $1 million bond. His next court date was set for December 5 of that year.

A month later, on December 21, 2016, authorities arrested a second suspect, 18-year-old Keonte Hill. Prosecutors identified Hill as the gunman who shot Devante. He was also charged with first-degree murder and, during his court appearance, a judge ordered him held without bond, calling the killing "cold blooded." At the time of this arrest, Hill was already in Cook County Jail on separate weapons charges.

According to the Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney, Hill and Dean were two of the three individuals in the Jeep Grand Cherokee that pulled into the gas station. After waiting for Devante to arrive, Hill allegedly exited the vehicle, walked up behind him, and opened fire.

The case against both Tavaris Dean and Keonte Hill moved through the Cook County court system. As of December 2016, both men were in custody and facing first-degree murder charges for their roles in the death of Devante Norwood. Information regarding the final disposition of their cases, including trial verdicts or sentencing, is not publicly available in recent sources. The case is considered closed by law enforcement due to the arrests and charges filed.