COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — The Englewood man accused of fatally shooting Cook County Judge Raymond Myles during a botched robbery of the judge's girlfriend was denied bail Friday.
Myles, 66, was gunned down outside his Roseland home shortly before 5 a.m. April 10 in what police called a "targeted robbery." His female companion, 52, was shot in her leg and survived.
The thieves stole her gym bag, which had no money in it, prosecutors said.
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Accused gunman Earl Wilson, 45, began casing the judge's home in the 9400 block of South Forest Avenue with the help of an uncharged accomplice in late March, according to prosecutors.
Wilson and accused getaway driver Joshua Smith, 37, who was charged earlier this month, soon devised a plan to rob the woman, who left for the gym at the same time every morning, Assistant State's Attorney Guy Lisuzzo said during a bond hearing Friday.
Wilson reportedly told a witness that "he was hurting for money, and he was going to rob a woman because she has a lot of money," according to Lisuzzo.
Wilson texted Smith about 9:54 p.m. April 9 and said, "I still need a car to drive to take care of that business," prosecutors said.
Smith replied two minutes later: "I got my daughter's car bro."
Shortly before 5 a.m. the next morning, Smith drove his ex-girlfriend's burnt-orange Pontiac Sunfire to the alley behind Myles' home, prosecutors said.
That's when Wilson left the car, approached the 52-year-old woman, shot her and stole her gym bag, Lisuzzo said. When Myles heard the commotion, he came outside, where he was fatally shot in his shoulder, hip and thighs, according to prosecutors.
Both men then fled in the Pontiac, authorities said.
While in the car, Wilson rummaged through the woman's gym bag and became enraged when he didn't find any money, prosecutors said. Wilson is accused of tossing the bag from a car window into a garbage container. Police never recovered the bag.
According to police, Wilson was identified through surveillance footage provided by Myles' neighbors. He wore distinctive jeans on more than one occasion, Lisuzzo said.
Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson at a news conference Thursday said police knew Wilson because he'd previously been identified as someone likely to be involved with gun violence, either as a victim or shooter.
Wilson, of the 7300 block of South Union Avenue, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
Wilson was convicted in 1992 of attempted murder and home invasion, court records show. He served 12 years of an 18-year sentence and later was convicted in an unrelated drug case.
According to his public defender, Wilson is a laborer who has two children and one grandchild.
DuPage County Judge George Bakalis, who was brought in to oversee Wilson's bond hearing Friday, denied bail for Wilson.
