Salim Khamo

Salim Khamo, a 66-year-old man, was a beloved father, grandfather, and community fixture in Chicago's West Ridge neighborhood. An Assyrian refugee, he had come to the United States from Iraq in the early 1990s to build a better life for his family. He owned J & K Food and Liquor, which his son called a "testament to his honest work." Customers and family remembered him as a compassionate and hardworking man who treated everyone like family. Khamo was just weeks from retiring and had recently sold the store to a relative. He dreamed of spending his retirement on a farm, raising chickens and enjoying time with his wife, three children, and seven grandchildren.

On the night of October 17, 2022, Khamo was working behind the counter of his store with his cousin. Shortly before 10 p.m., a man rode up on a bicycle, entered the store, and placed a handgun on the counter while demanding money. Khamo, who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, refused the demand. As he stepped back and attempted to pull his own handgun from his waistband, the robber fired a single shot, striking him in the chest. The assailant immediately fled on foot without taking anything, leaving his bicycle and cell phone at the scene. Khamo was rushed to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he died from his injury.

Chicago police began an investigation with crucial evidence left behind by the suspect. Surveillance video captured the entire incident, and the abandoned cell phone proved to be the key to solving the case. A search of the phone revealed photos of Sean Dunnavant, his Social Security card, and his driver's license. It also contained pictures of the bicycle left at the scene and a handgun consistent with the murder weapon. After police released images from the surveillance footage, a community tip came in from an acquaintance who recognized Dunnavant and his bicycle. On October 26, 2022, police arrested Sean Dunnavant, a 53-year-old Gulf War veteran who lived about a block from the store.

Prosecutors charged Sean Dunnavant with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted robbery with a firearm. The case proceeded through the court system, and Dunnavant was ultimately convicted of murder for the shooting death of Salim Khamo. He was sentenced to life in prison. The case is now closed.