COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A 33-year-old man fatally shot the mother of his kids because he believed she'd given him a sexually transmitted disease, prosecutors alleged in bond court Thursday.
Mechelle Lewis, 28, of the 7200 block of South Bennett Avenue, was in a relationship with Myron Mason for 10 years and had an 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son together before they separated in December, prosecutors said.
Around 9:52 p.m. Tuesday, the two were arguing over the phone when Lewis drove up to her home with her children in her van and saw Mason waiting for them in a white Buick. Lewis drove around the block until Mason left. When she finally parked in front of her home Mason returned and pulled alongside her, prosecutors said.
He was upset because he thought she gave him an STD, officials said.
Mason walked up to the car and allegedly shot Lewis eight times as she sat in the driver's seat of her car. He then took his son from the passenger seat and his daughter from the backseat of the van, then whispered something to Lewis before hitting her with the gun, which he left at the scene, prosecutors said.
Mason allegedly drove away from the scene with the children. Lewis' current boyfriend witnessed the shooting, called police and gave them a description of his car, prosecutors said. The car was found 10 minutes later about two miles from the murder scene.
Police originally said Mason drove to the Grand Crossing District police station and dropped the children off. Mason, of the 8600 block of South Kingston Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder, police said.
During the drive from the scene, Mason allegedly called his sister and Lewis' stepfather and told them he had committed the murder. He also told arresting officers he shot Lewis, prosecutors said. The children also told police their father shot their mother and he even gave a recorded confession saying he murdered "his wife," prosecutors said.
Mason was previously arrested for aggravated discharge of a firearm in May 2004 and was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
Judge James Brown ordered Mason held without bond Thursday.
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