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Bail $5 million for two charged with murder in fatal Waukegan carjacking

A Lake County judge set bail at $5 million Saturday morning for each of the two men charged with murder following a carjacking and manhunt in Waukegan.

Fredrick T. Smith, 23, of Harvey, and Kerwin P. Murry, 22, of Waukegan are each charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm. They must post $500,000 to be released.

The men, who said little at their bond hearing, told Judge John Scully that they do not have jobs. Murry is a father-to-be, his pregnant girlfriend said after the bond hearing. Murry's mother was also in court.

Smith and Murry were captured after a manhunt Thursday at the Lakeside Towers apartment complex, a low-income high rise several blocks from where authorities say the men took a 2003 Cadillac STS that belonged to the nephew of Carlos Hernandez, 44.

Hernandez's nephew, Juan Uriostegui, says he pulled up to his uncle's home in the 400 block of Hickory Street at about 6 a.m. He left the car running when he went inside the home.

Smith, Murry and a third man, who was not charged, were walking to a nearby gas station when they saw the running car. They fought with Hernandez and pushed him into the running vehicle and drove a couple blocks, authorities said.

Assistant State's Attorney Jason Humke said Saturday that witnesses reported that Smith held a revolver and patted Hernandez down, searching for weapons. Murry then asked for the gun and two or three shots were fired, hitting Hernandez in the stomach and left shoulder, Humke said.

Hernandez was able to speak with police and describe the offenders before he died on the way to the hospital.

Police responding to a report of a possible robbery found Hernandez lying on the sidewalk about two blocks away. He had suffered two gunshot wounds but was able to describe the suspects, police said. Hernandez later died on the way to the hospital.

Officers located the vehicle abandoned several blocks away and, with the assistance of a canine unit, tracked the suspects to the nearby Lakeside Tower apartment complex, police said.

Lakeside Tower was placed on lockdown, police said, and officers, with the help of an apartment complex security guard and surveillance cameras, were able to locate the three suspects. Police said Murry had attempted to shave his head, and Smith was found hiding in the complex's ventilation system.

Smith's apprehension required the Waukegan Fire Department and the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System to demolish a stairwell, according to police.

Humke said Murry admitted to the robbery, adding that he also had Hernandez's cellphone.

Witnesses told police they heard Smith and Murry discussing a “lick,”meaning a robbery, Humke said in court. The revolver was found in the garbage chute at the apartment complex, he said.

Both men have extensive criminal backgrounds, Humke said. Murry is on parole for an aggravated robbery case in Cook County. Smith is currently on bond in Cook County for a pending aggravated battery with a firearm charge, he said.

“The tenacity displayed by all of the personnel involved in this case is the only reason that we were able to quickly apprehend the offenders and hopefully bring some level of closure to the Hernandez family,” Waukegan Police Chief Daniel Greathouse said in a news release.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writers Bob Susnjara, Ellen Jean Hirst and Christopher Placek contributed to this report.

Fredrick T. Smith
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