Aurora man guilty of 'coldblooded' murder

A Kane County judge Thursday convicted an Aurora man of shooting and killing a man in 2005 as part of a street gang initiation.

Chavez K. Saulsberry, 19, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Montrell Fluellen, who was killed Nov. 4, 2005, on the street in front of his home in Aurora.

Judge T. Jordan Gallagher, who ruled in the case after a bench trial, could sentence Saulsberry to up to 75 years in prison at his next court appearance Dec. 2.

The shooting took place on the 500 block of Plum Street, where Saulsberry approached Fluellen from behind and tried to fire a .45-caliber handgun at the back of Fluellen's head. But the gun misfired, and a brief chase ensued before Saulsberry unloaded six bullets in Fluellen's upper torso, prosecutors said. Saulsberry later confessed to the killing, saying he knew Fluellen and believed him to be in a rival gang. The shooting was part of Saulsberry's initiation, authorities said.

"This was an extremely callous, coldblooded murder," said Mark Stajdohar, who prosecuted the case with Assistant State's Attorney Adam Katz. "The defendant had no animosity toward the victim, yet he walked up behind him, put a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger."