Elgin teen’s family craves justice from court

Isabel Pineda and her two sons moved to Elgin last year in an effort to start fresh and escape the dangers of Humboldt Park — particularly for 18-year-old Guillermo Pineda.

“My mom didn’t want him to get involved in gangs and stuff so she decided to bring him out to the suburbs where it was safer,” said Lissette Pineda, 19.

Despite the move, the Pineda family is dealing with the anger and grief tied to Guillermo’s death — now from a new home in a largely unfamiliar city.

Pineda died July 4 after being shot in the head.

Donald Rattanavong, 57, of the 800 block of Arthur Drive, told police he fired into the air after seeing a group of teens who he thought were burglarizing his car.

According to his sister, Guillermo Pineda — who went by Junior — met up with a group of three other young men after watching Fourth of July fireworks with his mom and 10-year-old brother. They went to Jewel-Osco and 7 Eleven before stopping on the corner of Mohawk and Arthur drives to smoke cigarettes.

Lissette Pineda said her brother left the group to ride his bike in the area until the other three finished smoking.

After an investigation by Elgin police, Rattanavong, who did not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm — a charge the Pineda family doesn’t think is strong enough.

“We all just want justice,” Lissette Pineda said. “We don’t want (Rattanavong) to suffer, but we want him to pay for what he did. To be charged for exactly what he did.”

Isabel Pineda questions Rattanavong’s intent — a key to the charges. She said the shot was too precise to be accidental and the man responsible should be charged with murder instead of involuntary manslaughter.

Both mother and sister maintain the 18-year-old was innocent of any wrongdoing that night. They say police found no fingerprints on Rattanavong’s car or any of the cars on that block. Elgin police would not discuss that matter to avoid compromising the case.

Police did say none of the teens was charged with burglary.

Pineda describes her son as a hard worker, holding down three jobs this summer in preparation for his senior year at Elgin High School. She said he was mature and polite — asking for his mother’s permission to meet his friends that night.

His sister said Pineda was a nice guy who liked to exercise, play basketball and drink milk. And he loved the color purple.

Funeral services will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 15, at Caribe Funeral Home, 3314 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago. Guests are being asked to wear Pineda’s favorite color to honor his memory.