2 men charged in fatal shooting of Davell Holden in South Holland appear in court
The two men accused in the killing of 16-year-old Thornwood basketball player, Davell Holden, appeared in court on Monday.
Holden was shot and killed in August. The police have called the killing a case of mistaken identity.
For months, Holden's mother, Angela Birts, has been wondering who would kill her honor roll student. Now, she has closure after the arrests over the weekend.
On Monday, she expressed gratitude to the South Holland Police Department for making the arrests.
"I want everyone to know, this was not for my son. "This is not the way my son deserved to die," she said.
Back in August, Birts said her son was found shot and killed while he was visiting his girlfriend near 160th and Drexel, the same block as the intended target.
"I just remember screaming, yelling, praying in the car on the way there. Like, Lord, please help my baby," she said.
The village of South Holland announced on Sunday that 21-year-old Javan Moore, 20-year-old Demon Smith, and a 16-year-old boy, all from nearby Phoenix, Illinois, were charged in the deadly shooting of Davell Holden.
"Davell Holden was a great young man. He was an honor student. He was a member of his basketball team for a local high school. He was a great individual. He was a resident of our great community," said South Holland Police Chief Shawn Staples.
Court documents indicated that Moore drove to the location of the killing with two other people, exited, and shot Holden. Prosecutors said Moore stood over Holden, firing more shots. Surveillance video also captured Moore before and after the murder.
Documents further indicated that Smith worked with Moore to kill a rival, but instead, they are accused of murdering Holden out of mistaken identity.
The 16-year-old was arrested in September and had two phones, which had text messages he shared with a witness and Moore before the murder. Moore and Smith were arrested on Friday.
"I am more than beyond relieved to see a happy conclusion," Staples said.
Both Moore and Smith are expected to return to court in Markham on Tuesday.