Aurora man charged with murder at September party
An Aurora man has been charged with gunning down a 23-year-old at a party in Aurora in September, authorities said Friday.
Marquitte L. West, 22, of the 1000 block of Woodview Court, has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Derrick Page, 23, of Plainfield.
West is accused of shooting Page in the head during a fight outside a Sept. 5 party on the 600 block of North Lake Street, Aurora police said.
Page was shot at about 12:45 a.m. near Lake Street and Illinois Avenue after a disturbance broke out near the party, held in a rental hall.
Police said it appeared Page was shot as he tried to help a friend in a fight.
Page died a day later from his injuries at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
Police said interviews of dozens of partygoers, along with evidence gathered by investigators, resulted in the charges against West.
An arrest warrant for West was issued Oct. 14, but he had fled to Virginia, police said, and the charges could not be unsealed until he was returned to Illinois.
West was being held at the Will County jail on unrelated charges; it was unclear when he would be brought to Kane County for his bail to be set or when he was next due in court in Kane County.
If convicted of first-degree murder and firing the bullet that killed Page, West faces between 45 and 85 years in prison with no chance of early release.
West has previous arrests in Kane County for contact with gang members while on probation, records show.