Nicholas Samudio, diagnosed with Down syndrome, is accused of two murders in Chicago.
Photo: Chicago Police Department / Courtesy
A man with Down syndrome and alleged leader of the Latin Kings was charged in Chicago in connection with two murders reported 10 days apart.
Nicholas Samudio, 22, was charged in two separate complaints under multiple charges for the murder, on February 16, of Humberto Marín-García reported on Interstate 55 near Bridgeport; and that of Tomás Villa, on February 26 in North Lawndale.
According to Chicago Sun-Times sources, Samudio, who uses the pseudonym “Smush,” attacked one of the victims during a road rage incident, and the other, in a mistaken identity case.
Samudio was initially arrested after fleeing a Chrysler 300 car stolen that officers tried to apprehend hours after the second shooting.
Moses Maldonado, 21, was also charged in connection with one of the crimes.
During Samudio’s initial court appearance on March 1, the public attorney representing him argued that his client was diagnosed with Down syndromea genetic disorder that causes physical and mental disabilities.
Three weeks later, on March 28, an indictment was filed that included six counts of felony murder. On March 31, he was charged with six additional counts of murderas well as felony charges of attempted murder and discharge of a weapon for the February 16 incident.
The Illinois State Police worked in conjunction with the Chicago Police to arrest Samudio and Maldonado.
Samudio had been identified as a suspect in the 2020 McKinley Park murder, but was not charged.
Authorities began monitoring Samudio and his cronies after the first shootout over a highway conflict that spilled over onto the highway. Villa was fatally attacked in the second shooting because the assailants allegedly mistook him for a rival gang member because of a hat he was wearing.
Villa parked his vehicle and walked home near the Chrysler 300 when Maldonado and Samudio were in the vehicle. Supposedly, Maldonado started the shots from the car, prompting the victim to try to take cover among other cars in the 2600 block of West 18th Street. next, Samudio got out of the car and shot Villa several timesthe authorities claim.
Keep reading:
Who was Génesis Escobar, the pregnant woman who was shot to death in the middle of a failed robbery attempt in Chicago with her boyfriend
#Alleged #Latin #Kings #gang #member #syndrome #charged #Chicago #fatally #shooting #men #10day #period
