A drug dealer kicked down the front door of an Edgewater apartment and beat the two occupants who owed him $600 for cocaine, prosecutors said. One of the victims, an amputee, died. Ronald Armour, 41, of Englewood, is charged with first-degree murder, home invasion, and aggravated battery of a victim over the age of 60.
The two victims, who are partners and have purchased cocaine from Armour for five or six years, texted him on July 1 to assure him that they would pay their debt, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.
Around 11:40 that morning, Armour knocked on their apartment door in the 6000 block of North Kenmore. When they didn’t answer, he allegedly kicked it in and went to the bedroom where the men were lying down together. He then began beating both men, ages 63 and 53, with his fists, according to Murphy.
The older man, who managed to get away from Armour, suffered an eye injury, damaged teeth, and facial bruising, Murphy said.
But the 53-year-old, identified as Darren Williams, was unable to get out of bed during the attack because he only had one leg, according to Murphy. He died with bleeding under the scalp, a broken nose, and injuries to his face. Murphy said. Williams had other health problems, but the medical examiner told investigators that his death would probably be a homicide regardless of whether the beating was the main cause of death or a contributing factor, according to Murphy.
The surviving victim called 911 and told police a man named “Ziploc” was responsible for the attack — and he gave cops his phone number, Murphy continued.
While the older man was being treated for his injuries at the hospital, Armour allegedly texted him, saying he was outside the couple’s home and wanting to know why police were at the scene. And, Murphy said, Armor continued to send texts demanding his $600.
Armor has several felony convictions dating back to the late 1990s for things like DUI, fleeing and eluding, possession of a controlled substance, and distribution, Murphy said. He has nine children, one grandchild, and recently started a job as a dishwasher at a club, according to his defense attorney.
Judge Susana Ortiz declined a state request to have Armor held without bail, saying the case fell short of meeting the necessary criteria. But she did order Armour held in lieu of $750,000 bail. He’ll need to post a $75,000 deposit and go onto electronic monitoring to get out of jail, she said.