Suspects In Armed Carjacking Of Disabled Vet Arrested: Park Forest PD

PARK FOREST, IL — Months after it happened, Park Forest Police Wednesday announced they've arrested the last of four suspects believed to be responsible for the armed carjacking of a disabled veteran that took place in May 2022.

Police said Devonte M. Mauldin, 22, of Country Club Hills; Zhaquez S. White, 22, of Monee; DeMarco D. Dillon, 21, of South Holland; and a male juvenile have been arrested and charged in their roles in the crime.

The carjacking took place May 29, in the 100 block of Monee Road. The victim told police he had been parking his car in his garage when he was accosted by two masked males carrying handguns with extended magazines. They pointed the gun at the victim, demanding his car and cell phone. The victim gave them both, and the two carjackers fled in his car.

Park Forest officers immediately began to track the vehicle using a GPS device that was installed inside the vehicle, police said. Illinois State Police later found the vehicle in South Holland and were able to arrest the driver and passenger, identified as Mauldin and a male juvenile, after a short foot chase.

The crime happened in the Will County section of Park Forest, with the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office approving a charge of felony aggravated vehicular hijacking against Mauldin. The male juvenile was petitioned to juvenile court for the same offense. While the juvenile was eventually released from custody, Mauldin was indicted on additional charges and remains in custody at the Will County Adult Detention Facility with a $2.5 million dollar bond.

Police Wednesday said two others have also been charged in the crime, following a subsequent investigation "that involved numerous search warrants and hours of combing through records, recordings, and other data." The investigation led detectives to Dillon and White, with arrest warrants issued in November.

An arrest warrant for Dillon was issued for two counts of felony aggravated vehicular hijacking and one count of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle, also a felony. The arrest warrant for White contained the same charges, as well as conspiracy to commit aggravated vehicular hijacking/ Bond was set at $2.5 million dollars for each.

White, who was already in custody at the Will County Adult Detention Facility for an unrelated crime, was immediately charged, police said. On Dec. 20, Dillon was arrested by the Frankfort Police Department during a traffic stop. Both are in custody at the Will County Adult Detention Facility.

"The investigation revealed that these offenders had been riding in a stolen car actively seeking other vehicles to steal or carjack when they committed this crime," Park Forest police said. "The Park Forest Police Department would like to remind criminals that we will do everything possible to arrest and charge individuals who commit violent crimes in Park Forest. Sometimes it may take days, or weeks, or months; but justice will be served."