Report: Venezuelan Migrants Charged with Murder of Homeless Chicago Man

Two Venezuelan migrant teenagers were charged with the murder of a homeless man in Chicago over the weekend, according to a report.

CWB Chicago reported that the charges were revealed in a “detention proffer filed by prosecutors.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Kleist claimed in a filing that one of the teenagers, identified as Wuinayker Rodriguez-Vasquez, 16, “has no local criminal record but had prior law enforcement contact in Texas in 2023.”

The other migrant who was reportedly charged with first-degree murder in juvenile court, was a 14-year-old boy.

Per the outlet, the two boys, along with another 14-year-old who was “charged with robbery in juvenile court,” were among a group of migrants that attacked Bradley Obeirne, 49:

Rodriguez-Vasquez, the 14-year-old, and another 14-year-old migrant were part of a group walking through the Loop around 5:45 a.m. Sunday. As they passed the 200 block of South Wabash, they approached 49-year-old Bradley Obeirne, an apparently homeless man who was lying in an alcove next to his belongings, including his cat and a skeleton mask.

Kleist said surveillance video shows one of the 14-year-old boys carrying a metal rod as he walked toward Obeirne. The proffer said the other 14-year-old stole Obeirne’s skeleton mask and ran away. Rodriguez-Vasquez proceeded to kick Obeirne from behind, starting a physical attack that would end in murder, according to Kleist.

Most of the group then ran south on Wabash Avenue, leaving Rodriguez-Vasquez and the other 14-year-old standing only a few feet from the victim. The proffer says the younger boy raised the metal rod as if preparing to strike, prompting Obeirne to lift his hands in a defensive posture. Kleist said Rodriguez-Vasquez kicked toward the victim while the 14-year-old migrant struck the man with the metal rod.

Hours later, Obeirne was transported to the hospital after a person found his body “in the alcove,” according to the outlet. Obeirne was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A judge “ordered Rodriguez-Vasquez held pending trial,” and informed him that “there was no reason” for him to have done what he did, according to ABC7 Chicago.