Venezuelan Migrants Charged with Murder of Homeless Chicago Man

Two Venezuelan migrant teenagers were charged with the murder of a homeless man in Chicago over the weekend, according to a report.

CWB Chicago reported that the charges were revealed in a “detention proposal filed by prosecutors.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Kleist claimed in a filing that one of the teens, identified as Wuinayker Rodriguez-Vasquez, 16, “does not have a local criminal record but has prior contact with law enforcement in Texas in 2023.”

The other migrant reportedly charged with first-degree murder in juvenile court was a 14-year-old boy.

According to the outlet, the two boys, along with another 14-year-old who was “charged with theft in juvenile court,” were part of a group of migrants who attacked 49-year-old Bradley Obeirne:

Rodriguez-Vasquez, 14, and another 14-year-old migrant were part of a group walking the loop around 5:45 a.m. Sunday. As they passed the 200 block of South Wabash, they approached Bradley Obeirne, 49, an apparently homeless man who was lying in an alcove next to his belongings, including his cat and a skeleton mask.

Kleist said surveillance video shows one of the 14-year-old boys carrying a metal rod as he walked toward Obeirne. The other 14-year-old stole Obeirne’s skeleton mask and ran away. Rodriguez-Vasquez then kicked Obeirne from behind, triggering a physical attack that would end in murder, according to Kleist.

Most of the group then ran south on Wabash Avenue, leaving Rodriguez-Vasquez and the other 14-year-old just a few feet from the victim. The filing says the younger boy raised the metal rod as if preparing to strike, prompting Obeirne to raise his hands in a defensive posture. Kleist said Rodriguez-Vasquez kicked the victim while the 14-year-old migrant hit the man with the metal rod.

Hours later, Obeirne was taken to hospital after someone found his body “in the alcove,” according to the outlet. Obeurne was pronounced dead at the hospital.