Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Forum Posts for Dewayne Purnell:
Be respectful. Abuse of these forums will not be tolerated.

Dewayne Purnell, 19, was shot and killed during a house party in Calumet City, Illinois, on December 21, 2014. The gathering on Escanaba Avenue was described as large — roughly 100 to 150 people aged about 15 to 21 — and had been advertised on social media. Partygoers were reported to be smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol, and using other substances when an argument escalated into gunfire.

Purnell, who had just graduated from Thornton Fractional North High School and was days away from joining the U.S. Army, died at the scene. Ten other people were wounded; two were in critical condition, including a 15-year-old girl. Witnesses said the altercation may have been gang-related and that the chaotic scene — with some attendees fleeing as police arrived — made it difficult to identify the shooter. No arrests had been made and the shooter remained unidentified. The Calumet City Police and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force continue to investigate.

Does anyone who attended or lived nearby that night have information that could help investigators?