Evanston man killed business owner on roof of Little India restaurant: prosecutors
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The Newz Radar
A Cook County judge on Saturday denied bail to an Evanston man accused of fatally stabbing a business owner during what prosecutors described as a “crime spree” in a West Ridge building complex in May.
Brandon Sanders, 33, faces a first-degree murder charge, as well as armed robbery and residential burglary charges. Sanders is accused of May 12 slaying Rasim Katanic atop a large building along the sprawling “Little India” shopping district in the 2300 block of West Devon Avenue.
Authorities said Sanders then took a screwdriver from the dying man and used it to burglarize the apartment of two Loyola University students who were away at their own graduation.
During a felony bail hearing broadcast on YouTube, prosecutors described how they believe that Sanders walked through a Devon business’ private employee area to gain access to a large apartment building where Katanic was working.
Katanic, 69, the owner of K & R Heating & Cooling, according to public records, was working on a walk-in cooler compressor on roof of a restaurant when he was killed, Assistant State’s Attorney Kathryn Morrissey told the court.
After stabbing Katanic in the neck and head, authorities said that Sanders stole the victim’s wallet, keys and a screwdriver that he used to unscrew and remove a skylight to an adjacent apartment building, Morrissey said.
After forcing his way inside the Loyola graduates’ apartment, authorities said Sanders shaved in the bathroom, discarded his own clothing and took new clothing, along with three watches before leaving.
The students returned home the next morning to find personal items that belonged to Katanic, including his wallet and ID cards. Authorities later recovered a water jug left behind in the apartment that was later tested against a buccal swab taken from Sanders. A preliminary tests by Illinois state police found a profile consistent with Sanders’ DNA profile, Morrissey said.
