Man with Lengthy Criminal History Accused of Fatally Shooting Acquaintance in Chilling Ambush
A 51-year-old man with a history of criminal convictions is facing charges for the fatal shooting of a 41-year-old acquaintance in a chilling ambush captured on surveillance footage in a Cabrini Green courtyard last weekend.
Maurice Timms is accused of shooting Devon LaSalle in the back and head as LaSalle walked away from him in the 800 block of North Cambridge. The incident occurred just after midnight on July 13, as per a detention petition filed by Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara.
The surveillance footage shows Timms gunning down LaSalle in the courtyard and then approaching him to fire more rounds as LaSalle lay on the ground.
According to the petition, Timms and LaSalle had known each other for years from the Francis Cabrini Homes and had spent time together in the hours leading up to the shooting.
The video footage allegedly shows Timms walking from a residence on Locust Street to the courtyard, interacting with LaSalle, and then shooting him in the back.
After the shooting, Timms fled to a friend’s red Ford truck parked nearby, removed his shirt, and put it in the truck before walking back to a nearby apartment.
Police received a tip about Timms’ whereabouts, leading them to find him inside the red truck on Iowa Street. Two handguns were found in the truck, one of which matched the shell casings recovered from the murder scene.
Three witnesses identified Timms in the surveillance video capturing his movements before, during, and after the killing.
Timms has a criminal history spanning 30 years, including armed robbery convictions in Illinois and Georgia, an armed habitual criminal conviction in 2006, and a 2020 prison sentence for possession of a stolen vehicle.
Despite previous charges, Timms currently faces first-degree murder charges, being a habitual criminal, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a repeat felon.
Timms has been detained pending trial by Judge James Costello.
