RICHTON PARK, IL — A tragic dispute over housing ended in a double homicide Saturday evening after a man allegedly shot and killed his mother and her boyfriend inside their suburban apartment.
Cook County prosecutors have charged Javonte Morris with two counts of first-degree murder.
Authorities identify the victims as 38-year-old Nivia Phillips (Morris’ mother) and 45-year-old Marcus Jones.
The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. on December 27 in the 22500 block of Jackson Court.
According to investigators, the violence erupted after Phillips threatened to kick Morris out of the home.
A witness who was on the phone with Phillips at the time told police they heard Morris threaten his mother’s life.
The witness also reported hearing the sound of a handgun being racked before hanging up to call 911.
When officers arrived, they discovered a 4-year-old girl, later identified as Morris’ daughter, hiding under a table near her toy boxes.
While the child was physically unharmed, she told investigators she saw her father shoot the two victims.
Morris called 911 himself minutes after the shooting but did not admit to being the gunman.
Police eventually tracked him down behind a nearby garage on Canterbury Court, where he was taken into custody without further incident.
Inside the apartment, Illinois State Police technicians recovered five shell casings and a .380 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun.
Neighbors reported hearing loud screams and multiple gunshots.
“I hope justice is served,” one resident told WGN reporters. The investigation remains ongoing as the community mourns the loss.
