2 Charged In ‘Appalling’ Armed Carjacking In Beverly

CHICAGO — Two men have been charged in what Chicago police described as an “appalling” armed robbery and vehicular hijacking of a Beverly family on Nov. 2. The charges were announced Wednesday evening.

Damarri Conner, 20, and 26-year-old Kenneth Merritt have each been charged with one felony count of aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm, and two felony counts of robbery with a firearm. Conner faces additional misdemeanor charges of resisting a peace officer. Both are due to appear Thursday for a pre-trial detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building.

The evening of Nov. 2 in the 9300 block of South Pleasant Avenue, a 46-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter returned home about 8:45 p.m. and were exiting their car when Chicago police said they were approached by two men, later identified as Conner and Merritt.

Horrifying doorbell-cam video showed the woman being brutally pushed to the ground and held at gunpoint as her car keys and other belongings were ripped from her hands. The daughter ran into the house as the woman’s 46-year-old husband came out to intervene. He, too, was robbed at gunpoint, according to police.

Police said Conner and Merritt fled in the woman’s car, which was later found in the 4th Police District.

The vehicular hijacking task force teamed up with the 22nd District to review private security video that came pouring in from Beverly residents and businesses. Investigators also poured over CTA and CPD security video.

The pair is also alleged to have returned to the same home a second time on Tuesday, this time using the garage opener and key fobs stolen in the first incident to steal the husband’s vehicle. Police were able to track the second vehicle by plate readers and POD cameras to 97th Street and Merrill Avenue, then miles east into the city where it was eventually recovered.

Conner and Merritt were taken into custody later Tuesday in the 9700 block of South Merrion Avenue and the 8000 block of Cottage Grove, respectively, police said. Both were positively identified by the family, police said.

“Thankfully, the victims were not injured in this brazen armed robbery, but this is a trauma they will continue to live with,” Chicago police said in a written statement. “No one in our city should experience the fear that these victims felt.”

Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) said the audio on the doorbell-camera video is terrifying and is calling for federal charges, which carry stiffer penalties if convicted.

“These criminals have no fear about being held accountable,” O’Shea told WGN’s Lisa Dent. “They’re so dumb. The way they use their phones, the way they send texts, the way they send pictures, the way they brag when they commit these horrible crimes. It will come back to haunt them.”

In an email to constituents, O’Shea said in an email to residents that he planned to attend Thursday’s pre-trial hearing, to determine if the pair will be detained or released while the case is pending.

“I will attend the hearing and provide an update,” O’Shea said. “Moving forward, I will share information about court dates with the community and ask residents to join us at the trial to show support for our neighbors.”