Devonte L Terry

Devonte L. Terry, a 19-year-old Black man remembered as happy, protective, and deeply devoted to his twin brother, was killed just steps from his home in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood. Known to some as "7 twin," Devonte attended Harper High School and was a beloved presence in his community on the city's Southwest Side. His life was cut short in an act of violence that left his family and neighbors reeling.

In the very early hours of Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the quiet of the 5600 block of South Artesian Avenue was shattered by gunfire. At approximately 12:44 a.m., Devonte was walking down the street where he lived when an assailant reportedly stepped out of a vehicle, opened fire, and fled the scene. Officers responding to the call found Devonte unresponsive on the block. He had been shot in the back and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

As police cordoned off the street with yellow tape, a heart-wrenching scene unfolded. Residents of the block, lined with bungalows, emerged from their homes and gathered behind the police line. One woman, overwhelmed with grief, began to sob loudly as an ambulance prepared to leave. “I don’t want to see my baby like that. I don’t want to see my baby like that,” she cried out repeatedly, turning away from the vehicle. The raw anguish of a mother’s loss echoed through the night as tactical officers began their investigation, interviewing a witness who smoked a cigarette while leaning against a car.

The Chicago Police Department handled the initial investigation into Devonte's murder. In the immediate aftermath, detectives canvassed the area for evidence and spoke with potential witnesses, but no description of the shooter or the vehicle was publicly released. The shooting was one of more than a dozen that occurred over a 14-hour period in Chicago amid muggy, 80-degree temperatures, highlighting a particularly violent stretch for the city.

Despite the initial investigation and the public nature of the crime, there have been no subsequent announcements regarding persons of interest, arrests, or charges in connection with Devonte Terry's homicide. The case has grown cold over the years, leaving his family without answers or justice. His murder was one of at least 13 homicides in Chicago that week alone, and one of more than 470 that plagued the city by the end of 2015.

The community of Gage Park, a neighborhood that has long contended with issues of gun and gang-related violence, was left to mourn another young life lost. In the years since his death, Devonte has been remembered on online memorial pages where friends and loved ones have lit virtual candles and shared memories of the young man they lost. These tributes paint a picture of a funny and loving person who is deeply missed.

As of today, the murder of Devonte L. Terry remains unsolved. The investigation is presumably still open but inactive. There is no reward being offered for information leading to an arrest. Authorities have not released any new details or renewed calls for public assistance in recent years. His family continues to wait for the day when someone will be held accountable for taking Devonte from them.