2 Guilty In Slaying Of Retired CFD In Botched Morgan Park Carjacking

CHICAGO — Two men were found guilty in the slaying of retired CFD Lt. Dwain Williams, 65, during a botched carjacking attempt in the parking lot of a Morgan Park popcorn store in December 2020.

In what began as a rare triple jury trial, Dwain Johnson pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated battery with a firearm in exchange for recommended 30-year prison sentence and his testimony against co-defendants Jaylen Saulsberry, 19, of Chicago Heights, and Devin Barron, 20, of Lynwood. A 15-year-old juvenile suspect was also charged. pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated battery with a firearm with prosecutors recommending a 30-year sentence.

Williams had just left Let’s Get Poppin’ at 118th Street and Western Avenue in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood on Dec. 3, 2020, and was walking to his vehicle when he was confronted by three armed men, prosecutors said.

Chicago police believe the three were after Williams’ Jeep Cherokee, coveted for its computer system. Security video at the popcorn store showed the masked suspects climbing out of a stolen Ford Fusion holding guns. The fourth suspect, the getaway driver, could not be seen, police said.

According to police, they demanded the keys to Williams’ Jeep Cherokee. One of the four suspects withdrew a gun and shot the retired firefighter in the stomach.

Williams pulled out his own legally licensed concealed weapon during an exchange of gunfire, police said. The gunmen piled back into the Ford Fusion they arrived in and fled west on 118th Street. The gravely injured Williams was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Johnson, 18, of Gary, Ind., was taken into custody by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force later that month in Oak Forest. The 15-year-old boy had also been taken into custody charged with first-degree murder.

Lynwood-resident Devin Barron was arrested the day after Christmas 2020 in south suburban Lansing by the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. Investigators identified the then 20-year-old as one of the participants in the attempted carjacking gone bad, police said.

On New Year’s Day 2021, Saulsberry had been arrested on a warrant in Pennsylvania. The Chicago Heights man was held there on a $2 million warrant before being extradited to Chicago.

The four were believed to be part of a crew that has carried out several carjackings in the city and south suburbs, prosecutors said.

Williams joined the Chicago Fire Department in 1992 and retired about two years ago, CFD officials said. He was set to return to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications as a civilian employee.

In days immediately after the shooting, community activists and organizations have posted a $35,000 reward hoping it would trigger someone to come forward who could identify the suspects, including money put up by Fr. Michael Pfleger, the popcorn store, community organization I’m Telling Don’t Shoot, and community activists Raul Montes and Andrew Holmes.

The three men began standing trial last week at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building, before three separate juries. The setups allowed each defendant to present different defenses, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Johnson’s jury was dismissed when he pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the reduced charge, and took the stand to testify against his co-defendants, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“What should have been an unremarkable day turned into one of violence and death,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Sara Grgurovic last week during opening statements.

Saulsberry and Barron were both convicted Wednesday by their respective juries of first-degree murder, among other felony gun charges.