COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE —The man charged in the slaying of Chicago rapper Twista's bodyguard allegedly shot his victim, cut his throat and then set him on fire, prosecutors said Friday.
Davy Easterling, 31, of Chatham, who was found dead in a burned-out building, had been drinking the night of Feb. 20 with two women, one of them the girlfriend of his alleged killer, Matthew X. Jackson, prosecutors said.
The two women got into a fight, prosecutors said. Jackson's girlfriend ran home and told Jackson about the clash, also relaying that Easterling was in possession of some foreign currency.
Jackson and his girlfriend, who has not been identified, then confronted Easterling at the building in the 8300 block of South Baker Avenue, prosecutors said.
"[Jackson] pointed a gun at the victim and demanded the foreign money," Assistant State's Attorney Beth Novy said in bond court. Jackson shot Easterling twice, then went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and cut Easterling's throat with it.
Jackson took the foreign money and left with the two woman, prosecutors said.
Easterling was discovered in the early hours of Feb. 21 by crews called to a fire at the building, police said. An autopsy later found that Easterling had been shot multiple times.
Twista's Twitter account identified Easterling as a bodyguard, also known as "6'9."
"I've lost too many good friends to these streets," the writer, presumably Twista, said.
Another post that followed included photos of Easterling and a request for anyone with information about the "big homie" to come forward.
Jackson, 25, who lives only a few blocks away from Easterling in the 8000 block of South Champlain Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in the case.
Neither police nor prosecutors offered details or information about what led to Jackson's arrest or who identified him as the killer.
A Cook County Judge ordered Jackson held without bail.
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