23-year-old Marine in custody on Hoffman Estates murder charge

A Marine residing in North Carolina is in the Cook County custody on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the 2008 shooting death of a Hoffman Estates teenager.

Clinton Johnson, 23, whose last local address was in the 100 block of Crestwood Drive in Streamwood, appeared in bond court Saturday in Rolling Meadows after his extradition Friday. The hearing was postponed to Monday so he could confer with a private attorney.

Johnson and Matthew Zucco, 21, of the 8000 block of South Applewood Court in Hanover Park, were arrested April 16 for the slaying of 19-year-old Joseph Ziegler in the teen's basement on Sept. 4, 2008. Hoffman Estates police say leads from a recent suburban drug sweep dubbed "Dial-A-Rock" finally led them to the suspects.

Police say Johnson and Zucco entered Ziegler's home at about 9 a.m. that day intending to rob the teen. But something went wrong and Zucco put Ziegler in a chokehold, put a gun to his head and fired, police say.

The two then fled in a waiting car, dumped the gun and bullets in a sewer and went to Johnson's home to burn their clothes, police say.

Zucco has been in Cook County jail with no bond since his arrest in April. Johnson was arrested in April in North Carolina, where court documents show he was residing at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point with the Marine Aircraft Group.

Cook County State's Attorney Lesley Gool said Johnson was a Marine and had a previous conviction in 2005 for battery. A spokesman for the Marine Corps said Saturday that information on Johnson's military status would not be available until Monday.

Johnson is being held on $750,000 bond, meaning he would have to post $75,000 to be released pending further court hearings. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kay Hanlon set a Monday morning hearing on the bond in the Rolling Meadows courthouse.