Two men have been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing a man’s wallet as he lie dead or dying after falling down the stairs of the Loyola Red Line station in January 2018. One of the men will be released from prison next month.
Calvin Greyer, 51, and Derrick Robie, 21, each pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a person in exchange for their sentences.
Robie also pleaded guilty to robbing another man at the Morse Red Line station five days before the wallet theft. He was sentenced to a concurrent three-year term for that crime with 500 days credit for time spent in jail since his arrest.
With the state’s 50% sentence reduction for good behavior and credit for time served awaiting trial, Robie will be released from prison on July 10th after serving about five weeks for both felonies.
Greyer, on the other hand, went AWOL shortly after the Loyola incident and he had only 47 days credit for time served. He’s expected to be released on Oct. 9, 2020.
Early on Jan. 13, 2018, a passerby found the body of popular North Side bartender Eric “Julian” Hall lying at the foot of the stairs at the Loyola CTA station. He had suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead of his injuries.
Because his wallet was missing, online chatter at Reddit and the now-defunct Everyblock site was that Hall had been gravely wounded in a robbery at the station, 1200 West Loyola Ave.
But police, armed with surveillance footage, determined that the facts were different—but no less troubling. Hall, 48, was alone at the station a little after 5 a.m. when he fell down the stairs and suffered the injuries that would kill him. He remained unconscious at the bottom of the steps for some time. Eventually, two men came along, rifled through his pockets, took his wallet, and walked away. Only later would anyone call 911 for an ambulance.
Hall’s death was ruled an accident.
Robie and Greyer were later arrested and charged with taking Hall’s wallet.
Five days before Robie stole Hall’s wallet, he robbed a 27-year-old man at the Morse Red Line station, according to charges. Robie allegedly lifted his shirt and displayed the grip of a handgun to “motivate” the victim to surrender valuables.
Judge Timothy Chambers approved the plea deals.
