Friday prayer vigil to be held at site of Elgin teen's murder
Ten years after a triple homicide rocked the Burnham Wing Schoolhouse Apartments, the weekend death of a 17-year-old there has thrust the Elgin complex back into the spotlight.
A pair of local clergymen hope to heal that hurting community Friday by holding a prayer vigil at 2 p.m. in the complex's parking lot.
"We want to take a stand and say no more hate and no more violence so children can grow up there and be successful and not have to worry about any gang activity, any violence or any murders," said Leonard Williams, 24, a church elder at Spates Temple of God in Christ on the city's east side. "Many families living there are afraid."
Williams and Jeffrey Hughes, 25, an elder at Elgin's Bethesda Church of God in Christ, say they have invited residents, city leaders and clergy from other local churches to attend and participate.
On Sunday afternoon, John W. Keyes III, 17, was killed outside the building after a car jumped the curb and rammed into him while he tried to run away, crushing his body into the north side of the apartment complex, police said.
Timera D. Branch, 33, a Streamwood mother of three, has been charged with his murder - prosecutors say she intentionally used her car to kill the teenager, who was visiting his girlfriend at the complex.
The teen's murder occurred less than 24 hours after Keyes and Branch's older son got into a fight at an Elgin party, according to Keyes' family members.
Police were releasing no new information about the case, due to the ongoing investigation.
The Kane County Coroner's office declined to release Keyes' autopsy results on the advice of the Kane County State's Attorney's office and because he was a minor.
At 17, Keyes was not a minor.
Keyes was the youngest of five children and the only boy.
His mother Dionne Harris says her four daughters and several other family members will attend the vigil.
"I think it's very important - it's a good thing that they're doing it," Harris said. "The community is coming together. I'm proud somebody's doing (the vigil) and prayer is needed."
Hughes said several children at the complex are deeply disturbed about the murder and that some were even crying in church hours after it happened.
Branch remained behind bars Thursday on a $1 million bond.
Elgin police Chief Lisa Womack, meanwhile, says Sunday's homicide does not undo all of the progress the city made cleaning up the apartment complex.
"I think where this occurred was coincidental," she said.
Police ask that anyone with any information about the case call (847) 695-4195.
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