Ex-Cop, Two Others Charged with Murder

Two men from Blue Island and a third from Chicago were each charged Thursday with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the premeditated of Chervon Monique Alexander, police said.

In custody are Devin A. Bickham Sr., 39 and his 20-year-old son Devin Ardvell Bickham Jr., both from the 12800 block of Division in Blue Island. Cardell Taylor, 35, of Chicago, who authorities said did the shooting, was from the 9400 block of South Lowe in Chicago. All are acquaintances of the victim, River Forest Police Sgt. Michael Thornley said.

This is the village’s first homicide since 2005.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Bickham, a former North Chicago police officer, had conspired with his son and Taylor to kill Alexander, who authorities said was his mistress.

Emergency personnel were called to the northeast corner of Division Street and Bonnie Brae Place, around 10:20 p.m. Monday. Officers found Alexander, of the 1300 block of Mayfield in Chicago, sitting in a car. She was shot several times, according to the Chicago Tribune. All four were familiar with the Priory Campus area, Thornley said. The campus is  near . 

About a mile away from the crime scene, in Forest Park, police stopped a grayish sedan bearing three men as it was heading south on Harlem Avenue just north of Madison Street, authorities. A .380-caliber handgun was found inside the car, police said. The three had been in custody since late Monday night.

Alexander died around 11 p.m. at Loyola University Medical Center.

The Sun-Times reported that both the younger Bickham and Taylor confessed to a plot to kill Alexander, who reportedly was pressuring the older Bickham to divorce his wife and marry her instead, police said.

All are expected to appear at the 4th District Court at Maybrook Square for a bond hearing on Friday.

Authorities are confident the case has been resolved, and River Forest Police Chief Greg Weiss said that was due to the quick response of his department, and the assistance of Forest Park and Oak Park Police officers. Due to that response, the suspects were in custody in minutes after the incident, he added.

 “Our residents immediately came forward with information, our detectives worked literally around the clock to establish the case, evidence techs from half a dozen neighboring communities processed three complex scenes, and Assistant States Attorneys reviewed the work,” Weiss said. The incident is a genuine tragedy for the victim, the suspects and all their families, but I’m very proud that our Department and our resources could bring this case to a quick resolution.”

All additional information queries were referred to the State's Attorney's Office. Efforts to obtain additional comment have been unsuccessful.