Prosecutors on Wednesday filed murder charges against an Uptown man who allegedly severed an artery in his romantic partner’s arm during an altercation over whether they would invite a third person to join them for sex.
CWBChicago first told you about the incident on January 12 after Marquez Haggard, 25, was charged with aggravated battery in the incident.
But the alleged victim, Dandre Tatum, never regain consciousness after suffering severe blood loss and he died on January 23 after care was withdrawn, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.
Now, Haggard is facing a new charge of first degree murder.
Haggard and Tatum, age 45, had been in a romantic relationship since last summer and the two got together at Haggard’s home in the 1200 block of West Argyle on the evening of January 9.
Murphy said Tatum became upset when Haggard started looking for a third person to join them for sex and tried to leave. But Haggard struggled with Tatum, pulling on his arm and clothes to make him stay, according to Murphy.
Tatum struck Haggard to get away and the confrontation moved to a parking area behind Haggard’s apartment where Haggard pulled out a box cutter and stabbed Tatum in the right arm, Murphy said.
The blade severed Tatum’s brachial artery and he ran from the scene.
Haggard then called 911 and said he stabbed an intruder in his apartment and said the man was running down a nearby alley, Murphy said.
Several people flagged down responding officers to direct them to Tatum, who was unconscious and bleeding heavily from his arm on the steps of a home in the 5000 block of North Glenwood, Assistant State’s Attorney Jocelyn Schieve said during Haggard’s previous bail hearing.
Police followed a blood trail from Tatum’s body until they arrived at a large pool of blood on the parking pad behind Haggard’s apartment, Schieve said.
Investigators returned to Haggard’s apartment last week and his landlord gave them the box cutter that is believed to be the murder weapon, according to Murphy.
During a bond hearing on January 12, Judge Charles Beach allowed Haggard to go home on electronic monitoring by posting a $500 bond. Beach was on the bench again Wednesday when the upgraded murder charge was presented against Haggard.
After hearing about Haggard’s “strong support network” and lack of criminal history, Beach raised his bail amount to $150,000. Haggard will need to post an additional $14,500 to get out of jail on electronic monitoring again.
“There’s a difference between an act between two people who know each other and are in a relationship that perhaps becomes heated and between an individual and an anonymous person on the street,” Beach said.