Charles Wright, a 39-year-old African American man, was shot to death on October 24, 2014, in Chicago. He was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a neighborhood described as having high crime rates; witnesses heard gunshots and saw a vehicle speed away from the scene. The shooting was described as a targeted attack.

The Chicago Police Department investigated, canvassing the area, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing surveillance footage. Investigators identified several suspects, including a known gang member allegedly motivated by a prior altercation with Wright; ballistic matches were reported linking that suspect to the bullets recovered from Wright’s body. Another gang-affiliated suspect arrested on unrelated charges provided detailed information to police in exchange for a reduced sentence and implicated the primary suspect and accomplices.

Multiple arrests were made and the defendants were charged with first-degree murder and related offenses. At trial the prosecution relied on forensic evidence, witness testimony, and the cooperating witness’s account; the defense challenged the informant’s reliability and described the evidence as circumstantial. The jury found the primary suspect and accomplices guilty.