Two charged in fatal Zion party shooting

Two suspects are charged in a Zion shooting that left a man dead less than an hour after police had visited a house on a noise complaint, authorities said Wednesday.

Police said a first-degree murder charge was filed against Carnell D. Taylor, 35, of the 2000 block of Joanna Avenue in Zion. Richard D. McMath, 25, of the 2000 block of Carmel Boulevard in Zion, was charged with attempted armed robbery.

Taylor, who has an extensive rap sheet and served prison time, was held Wednesday in lieu of $3 million bond at the Lake County jail, authorities said. McMath was held on a $50,000 bond.

An argument that occurred after a bottle was thrown into the yard of the house in the 2900 block of Gideon Avenue led Taylor to fire bullets at a group, police said. Investigators learned the bottle toss was viewed as an act of disrespect, authorities said.

Officers were first dispatched to the Gideon home at 1:18 a.m. Sunday for a report of loud music. After police were told a birthday celebration was happening, roughly a dozen people complied with an order to go back into the house.

Police said they were summoned to the same home about 40 minutes later on a report of gunshots being fired.

Cops found Vontrell J. McMath, 22, of Zion, lying on a sidewalk in front of the house with a single gunshot wound to his upper chest. Authorities said Vontrell McMath was pronounced dead at Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan.

Zion police said an argument started in the yard after the bottle was thrown, with Taylor leaving the scene to get a firearm. Police said the group moved the dispute inside and it escalated upon Taylor's return to the house.

Taylor shot his weapon "several times" at the group, striking Vontrell McMath and two other men, Police Chief Wayne Brooks said in a statement. Taylor wounded himself while firing at the others, Brooks said.

Brooks said one victim, a 36-year-old Gurnee man, suffered a gunshot wound to the lower left abdomen and was in critical condition at Vista East. The other victim, a 42-year-old man whose hometown wasn't identified, sustained a superficial wound.

Richard McMath also shot a gun at the home, police said. Richard McMath had used his weapon while trying to rob someone outside the birthday party earlier in the evening, Brooks said.

Taylor fled in a 1983 Chevrolet Caprice that was spotted by Waukegan and Gurnee police, who received an emergency broadcast about the suspect. Police said Taylor was treated for a gunshot wound at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Brooks said several bullet holes and spent shell casings were found in the Gideon Avenue home.