Octavia Redmond murder: Boy, 15, charged in fatal shooting of Chicago postal worker
CHICAGO - A 15-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting a US Postal Service worker on Chicago's South Side this summer was arrested in Iowa on Monday.
Following a months-long investigation, Chicago police detectives identified a suspect in the murder of 48-year-old Octavia Redmond.
Chicago police said the suspect was arrested in the 800 block of Walford Road in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He has since been extradited to Chicago where he was charged with first-degree murder.
At about 11:38 a.m. on July 19, Redmond was delivering mail to homes in the 12100 block of South Harvard when someone approached her and fired multiple shots before fleeing the scene in a white Dodge Durango.
Redmond was shot multiple times and taken to Christ Hospital, where she later died.
The next day, the vehicle believed to be used in the murder was discovered torched in the 8900 block of South Holland Road in Chicago's West Chatham neighborhood.
Following the death of their colleague, mail carriers and union leaders rallied in Chicago, calling for increased protection.
Over the past two years, union leaders reported that 140 letter carriers have been attacked in Chicago. Redmond was the fourth carrier assigned to the route in West Pullman in five years.
The beloved wife, mother and extraordinary cook had been a letter carrier for five years.
Sources told Fox 32 that the incident appeared targeted and was not a robbery.
The juvenile suspect appeared in court on Tuesday and was ordered to be held in custody. He's due back in court on November 1.
After Monday's arrest, Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, released the following statement:
"The safety and security of Postal Service employees and customers is core to the mission of the Postal Inspection Service. There is no place for this type of senseless violence. When members of our postal family are targeted, postal inspectors will not rest until justice is delivered on behalf of the victims, their families, and our postal community. This arrest is the first step in securing justice for Mrs. Redmond. We hope this brings the Redmond family some semblance of relief. As our investigation continues, we maintain our call to the public to come forward with any information that may continue to bring those responsible to justice."
Chicago police said the investigation is ongoing as they search for additional suspects connected to Redmond's murder.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any other suspects in this case.