COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A man killed a teen and tried to kill another man on the Southwest Side in June over an argument, prosecutors said.
Adam Holderbaum, 27, was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm. He was arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder, according to arrest documents.
Holderbaum shot and killed 18-year-old Eduardo Venagas and tried to kill another 22-year-old man who was with him in McKinley Park on June 23, according to prosecutors and arrest documents.
Holderbaum and two other men, who have not been charged, walked up to Venagas and the other man in the 3300 block of South Bell Avenue about 11:30 p.m., according to police.
Holderbaum, who had a gun in his hand, started yelling at Venagas about problems with Holderbaum's cousin, Assistant State's Attorney Amanda Pillsbury said. Prosecutors did not elaborate as to what the argument was about.
Holderbaum then shot the gun at the ground before pointing the gun at Venagas, according to Pillsbury. He fired, shooting Venagas in his abdomen, Pillsbury said.
He then shot at the other man, who threw himself to the ground and dodged the bullet, Pillsbury said.
Holderbaum then shot Venagas again in his back and in his shoulder before Holderbaum and his accomplices took off on foot, Pillbury said.
Venagas, who lived about a block away from where he was shot, was taken to Stroger Hospital and pronounced dead at 11:59 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
The man who survived Holderbaum's alleged attack identified Holderbaum in a photo array and a line-up, Pillsbury said. A witness to the shooting who knows Holderbaum also identified him as the one who shot and killed Venagas, prosecutors said. Holderbaum was taken into custody on Saturday, according to police documents.
Family said in June that Venagas, whose nickname was Buddha, dreamed of opening his own business one day. He had been celebrating the birthday of his brother, who died in a car accident a few years back, just before Venagas was killed, family said.
Judge James Brown ordered Holderbaum, of the 3400 block of South Claremont Avenue, held without bail on Sunday.
