Bond set for trio charged in Hanover Park murder

A man and two teens are accused of targeting Vatsala Thakkar as she worked alone in a Hanover Park discount store in a senseless robbery that has many in the struggling neighborhood reeling.

The three Hanover Park defendants charged with the 56-year-old grandmother's fatal stabbing appeared this morning in bond court. Jerry Lockhart, 39, and Dewaun Tate, 17, were ordered held on $2 million bonds; 15-year-old Seneca Berry, charged as an adult but held in the youth home, has a $1 million bond.

They are charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery.

"This was a particularly cold-blooded and heinous act," prosecutor Mary K. Cronin told DuPage Associate Judge Brian Diamond in seeking the high bonds.

DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said the trio fled with $135 after repeatedly stabbing Thakkar in the back about 1:30 p.m. Thursday inside the dollar discount store she managed at 5662 Arlington Drive East.

"It is alleged these men during the course of the armed robbery stabbed her multiple times in the back," said Birkett during a news conference. "It is alleged they took her life while she was at work, making an honest living, something they were not doing.

Thakkar stumbled out the front door and collapsed, where a passer-by in the strip mall spotted her body and called 911. Doctors pronounced her dead shortly later.

For a reason authorities did not explain, it took medical officials several hours to identify Thakkar's stab wounds and alert police she died of foul play.

But in the meantime, Hanover Park police already had begun canvassing the bustling strip mall for possible witnesses. After learning he had a homicide on his hands, Chief Ronald Moser called in the DuPage County Major Crimes Task Force for extra manpower.

Detectives conducted dozens of interviews of other strip mall employees and patrons of a nearby fast-food restaurant and day care facility.

Birkett said those witnesses provided "crucial information" that placed the defendants in the area at the time of the crime. All three live within blocks of the discount dollar store, and Thakkar likely recognized them, other officials said.

At least two of the defendants have criminal pasts. Lockhart served a stint in prison, officials said. He also is charged with obstructing justice after police accused him of trying to thwart their murder investigation.

Tate is on probation for a May 16 Roselle theft in which he and three co-defendants stole at gunpoint a teen's Michael Jordan backpack, cell phone and $20.

The dollar store, which opened at that location months ago, did not have a surveillance camera operating during the robbery. Detectives conducted weekend interrogations of the defendants, who they said made incriminating statements in videotaped interviews.

Several search warrants also were conducted.

Village President Rodney Craig said the violence is particularly disheartening because church leaders have been working with Hanover Park officials to reach out to teens in the troubled central neighborhood. A community resource center opened there about one year ago.

Thakkar, formerly of Wheaton, was a married mother of two with a young grandchild. She held a medical degree from her native India. Craig said a vigil will be held at 7 tonight at Evangel Assembly of God Church in Hanover Park, near the site of the crime.

The store remained closed Monday. A pink rose was left near the entrance.

"It just wasn't worth it," said customer Christopher Pettis of the senseless crime.

Authorities offered condolences to Thakkar's family members, who declined to comment.

"We hope by bringing the offenders to justice quickly, this will aid somewhat with their recovery," Chief Moser said.

• Daily Herald staff writer Ashok Selvam contributed to this report.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=253143">Death investigation nearly nonstop, mayor says <span class="date">[11/23/08]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=252965">Few details released in fatal Hanover Park stabbing <span class="date">[11/22/08]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=252593">Hanover Park police probe woman's death <span class="date">[11/20/08]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>