N. Aurora man charged with stabbing father to death

A 23-year-old North Aurora man has been charged with stabbing and killing his father, according to the Kane County state’s attorney’s office.

The Kane County state’s attorney’s office late Monday afternoon authorized two counts of first-degree murder against Martell Harris, who police say stabbed Michael D. Harris Sr., 41, of North Aurora in the chest after an argument.

Harris Sr. was found on the porch of a home on the 700 block of Jorstad Drive in the village’s Tanner Trails subdivision around 10:15 a.m. He was pronounced dead 30 minutes later at Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, North Aurora police said.

Police say bystanders told them the suspect had run out the back door of the house.

Someone reported seeing the suspect enter a wooded area near Norris and Tanner roads. Police isolated and searched the area, using Cook County police dogs, a Homeland Security helicopter and an Illinois State Police airplane, as well as Aurora police and Kane County sheriff’s deputies.

At 1:30 p.m., police say they found the Martrell Harris in the garage of the house, hiding beneath debris, and arrested him without a struggle.

Martrell Harris faces 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted and is due in court Tuesday morning.

He has no criminal record in Kane County, according to court records.

Kavita Choski, a neighbor who lives across the street from where the stabbing occurred, said there was a loud commotion about 10 a.m. Monday, and she saw a man lying on his side on the front porch next to a white lawn chair that also was on its side.

A young man and young woman, whom Choski said she thought were the victim’s children, were helping him and shouting, “Fight and get through this,” and “Don’t worry, you’ll make it” to the older man.

Choski said police told neighbors to stay in their homes, while helicopters hovered overhead.

Choski said her husband was having tea and a cigarette outside between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and saw a woman yelling before angrily driving away from the home where the stabbing occurred.

Choski said a disturbance wasn’t out of place for the home; there frequently were people hanging out and smoking on the front porch, making noise and playing music, while others sat in their cars in the street.

“All the time, something is going on,” she said. “They were having problems all the time.”