Crime & Safety

Father and Son Found Guilty in 2011 River Forest Murder

Ex-cop set up his girlfriend to be killed to avoid having her discover he was already married.

A father and son who carried out a plan to shoot and kill a Chicago woman over a romantic relationship were found guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday.

Devin Bickham Sr., 42, and Devin Bickham Jr., 23, orchestrated a fatal ambush on Chervon Alexander, 29, who was shot and killed while she sat in a car in River Forest.

Found guilty by separate juries, father and son are to be sentenced next month. A third defendant, Cardell Taylor, 38, awaits trial

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According to Cook County prosecutors, the victim and Bickham Sr. were dating and planned to marry. However, Bickham Sr. was already married to another woman. To avoid being found out, Bickham Sr. devised a plan to have his son and Taylor carry out the murder.

According to prosecutors, on the night of July 11, 2011, Bickham Sr. drove the victim to the Dominican Priory Park in River Forest in his 2005 Buick. At about 10:20 p.m., Taylor arrived at the scene armed with a handgun and fired several shots into the passenger side of the car, striking the victim multiple times. Taylor then fled the scene in a silver Chevrolet Impala with Bickham Jr. serving as the getaway driver.

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Both men were arrested by responding Forest Park police within a mile of the crime scene. A search of the Impala revealed a .38 caliber handgun and several witnesses were able to place the car at the scene of the crime.

Through extensive interviews and an examination of the defendant’s cell phone records police discovered that Devin Bickham Sr. had planned and arranged the murder and all three men were charged in connection with the plot.

Sun-Times Media reports that the North Chicago Police Department confirmed Bickham Sr. was an officer in the department for a short period more than 10 years ago.


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