In the early morning hours of October 13, 2022, the life of 40-year-old Carl Vines Jr., a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Kenosha, Wisconsin. At approximately 2 a.m., a Kenosha police officer in the vicinity of 63rd Street and 24th Avenue heard a gunshot. Responding to the sound, the officer discovered Vines lying in the middle of the road, bleeding heavily from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency services transported him to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the death of Carl Vines quickly transitioned into a homicide case. Authorities identified 35-year-old Stephon K. Hawthorne as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting. A witness and security camera footage positively identified Hawthorne as the individual who gunned down Vines. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, a woman on the scene, identified as 32-year-old Kristen Quinonez, allegedly misled officers, telling them the suspect had fled in a different direction. This misdirection is believed to have allowed Hawthorne, who was still nearby, to escape.
Following the incident, a $1 million arrest warrant was issued for Stephon K. Hawthorne, who is considered armed and dangerous. Kristen Quinonez was taken into custody and charged with harboring or aiding a felon, in addition to two counts of felony bail jumping. She was held on a $25,000 cash bail. As of the latest available information, Hawthorne remained at large, and law enforcement continues to seek information from the public regarding his whereabouts.
