#37: Man shot woman dead because he didn’t want her at a block party—while he was supposed to be home on electronic monitoring for 3 felonies, prosecutors say

Prosecutors say Marcell Hunter, while on electronic monitoring for three felony cases, shot and killed a woman during a street party in Chicago this summer because he didn’t know who she was and he didn’t want her there.

That’s bad enough. But then there’s this: Hunter, 27, is awaiting trial for allegedly being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2018 and then escaping from electronic monitoring by cutting off his ankle monitor. He remained on the loose for three years until last September, when Chicago police allegedly caught him with yet another gun.

Despite all of that, Cook County Judge Carol Howard decided to release him on his own recognizance with electronic monitoring in February to await trial on the escape and gun charges.

Four months later, still on electronic monitoring, he allegedly went to a street party and shot a woman square in the head because he didn’t want her on the block.

Marcell Hunter | CPD

Hunter is the 37th person accused of killing or shooting—or attempting to kill or shoot—someone in Chicago while awaiting trial for a felony this year. The alleged crimes involved at least 71 victims, 18 of whom died.

When Judge Howard nixed Hunter’s no-bail status in March and sent him home on electronic monitoring again, she specifically ordered that he was not allowed to be outside his home.

But, on June 21, Hunter allegedly left his house to attend a street gathering where a crowd gathered to remember someone who had been buried earlier in the day.

Around 11 o’clock that night, 22-year-old Nikki Conner arrived at the gathering near 59th and Bishop with her sometime girlfriend and another companion. They weren’t there long before a man they knew told them they should leave because they were not from the area and his little brother was upset about their presence and had a gun, prosecutor Danny Hanichak said.

The three friends walked to a nearby corner, where Hunter soon confronted them, demanding to know “who the f*ck they were,” according to Hanichak. Hunter allegedly told Conner and her friends that they had been told to leave once already, and he was telling them again.

Conner explained that the friends were simply having a conversation and preparing to leave. One member of the trio began to walk away, while the other urged Conner to do the same.

When Conner again tried to explain what was happening, Hunter took out a gun and shot her in the head, Hanichak said. After she was down, Hunter allegedly fired more shots, then ran away. Police found six shell casings at the scene, all from the same gun.

Both of Conner’s companions identified Hunter in photo line-ups, according to Hanichak.

Initially, Hunter told detectives that he was unaware of the murder. However, he demanded an attorney after police confronted him with evidence from the sheriff’s electronic monitoring system.

That evidence allegedly shows that Hunter’s tracker suddenly lost location data between 2:23 p.m. and 11:34 p.m. on the day of the murder. Hanichak said Hunter “tampered” with the device, which started providing location data again 23 minutes after the crime, showing Hunter to be at home.

Hunter was first charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in 2018 and got out of jail on electronic monitoring by posting a $1,000 bail bond. In October that year, he stopped showing up for court dates with Judge Howard. A warrant went out for his arrest.

It stayed out for three years until last September, when Chicago police allegedly found a handgun in the driver’s door pocket of a car that Hunter, using the fake name Marvin Boswell, was driving.

Prosecutors charged him with escape and another count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. He remained in jail without bail until Howard sent him home in February, Hanichak said.

Hunter’s public defender said he has four children and has another on the way.

Judge Barbara Dawkins ordered Hunter held without bail on Thursday.

When Howard specifically told Hunter in February that he was not permitted to leave his house, she was making it clear that he was not allowed to enjoy the new benefits allotted to electronic monitoring (EM) participants under Illinois’ new criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act.

That law allows people on EM to move freely two days a week to run errands, complete tasks, and so forth. The law also decriminalized EM violations of less than 48 hours. As a result, Hunter cannot be charged with escaping EM to allegedly kill Conner because he was not out of his house for more than two days.

The “not horrible” series

This report continues our coverage of individuals accused of killing, shooting, or trying to kill or shoot others while on bond for a pending felony case. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “we haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative.

The actual number of murders and shootings committed by people on felony bail is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has brought charges in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, according to the city’s data. 

You can support CWBChicago’s work by becoming a subscriber today.

#1: Man who tried to shoot 3 outside a North Side restaurant on New Year’s Day had a pending felony case, prosecutors say (January 6, 2022)

#2: Felon awaiting trial for 4 sexual assault cases escaped from electronic monitoring and tried to kill investigators who tracked him down, prosecutors say (January 15, 2022)

#3: With felony gun case pending, man shot passerby during “exchange of gunfire,” prosecutors say (January 23, 2022)

#4: Seven-time felon on electronic monitoring for his 4th gun case tried to shoot and kill his girlfriend’s father, prosecutors say (January 26, 2022)

#5: Teen on electronic monitoring for TWO gun cases carjacked a Lyft driver, then shot a 15-year-old at point-blank range, prosecutors say (February 10, 2022)

#6: Man killed nursing student months after going AWOL from felony DUI case, prosecutors say (February 20, 2022)

#7: Man shot and killed his own brother while on bail for a felony gun case, prosecutors say (February 22, 2022)

#8: Beloved Hyde Park bartender was killed by a robber who has 3 pending felony cases, prosecutors said (March 7, 2022)

#9: Man involved in New Year’s shoot-out that left one dead was on bail for his 3rd gun felony, prosecutors say (March 8, 2022)

#10: An 11-time convicted felon shot a 3-year-old and tried to kill the boy’s mother while on felony bail, prosecutors say (March 11, 2022)

#11: Man allegedly stabbed another to death 4 days after getting released on felony bail (March 29, 2022)

#12: He opened fire on his ex’s house, killing a man, prosecutors say. But he was supposed to be home 24/7 for a pending felony gun case. (March 29, 2022)

#13: Man shot a woman, fired toward 4 others, while on bond for being a felon in possession of a firearm, prosecutors say (April 7, 2022)

#14: Man killed his parents in an Uptown senior center while on bond for federal armed robbery and gun charges, prosecutors say (April 14. 2022)

#15: Four-time felon opened fire on a carload of victims, injuring 2 while on bond for felony gun case, prosecutors say (April 20, 2022)

#16: Man shot his ex this month and her boyfriend last month, prosecutors say. He was on felony bail. (April 24, 2022)

#17: Man tried to kill 2 cable TV installers over a missing dog, prosecutors say. He was on bail at the time. (April 30, 2022)

#18: Man escaped from electronic monitoring and ran over a cop in a stolen car while fleeing a murder scene, prosecutors say (May 19, 2022)

#19: A two-time felon circled a West Side neighborhood for 15 minutes looking for someone to kill in a revenge murder, prosecutors say. He was on bond for a gun case at the time. (May 21, 2022)

#20: Alleged mass shooter had a felony gun case pending when he killed 2, wounded 7 near Magnificent Mile, records show (May 22, 2022)

#21: Five months after escaping from electronic monitoring, he helped shoot up a carload of people, injuring 2, prosecutors say (May 29, 2022)

#22: Man accused of setting ‘Walking Man’ on fire has been AWOL from 2 felony cases for 15 months, court records show (May 30, 2022)

#23: Two weeks after being charged with having a stolen rifle in a hijacked car, he allegedly shot a man with a rifle after getting out of a hijacked car (June 11, 2022)

#24: Gunman left a woman paralyzed in River North just 4 weeks after officials sent his felony gun case to a “peace circle,” prosecutors say (June 13, 2022)

#25: Teen acted as murderer’s driver while awaiting trial for carjacking, stolen car cases: prosecutors say (July 6, 2022)

#26: Man shot victim 5 times, days after being charged in a felony narcotics case, prosecutors say (July 7, 2022)

#27: Concealed carry holder shot man who opened fire on his car at McDonald’s, prosecutors say (July 14, 2022)

#28: Terrorism, attempted murder charges filed against man who allegedly detonated bomb on Pink Line in May (August 8, 2022)

#29: Three-time felon shot robbery victim while on bail for felony gun case, prosecutors say (August 23, 2022)

#30: Concealed carry holder shoots 7-time felon who tried to kill him, prosecutors say. That man was on bail for a felony gun case. (August 25, 2022)

#31: Anti-violence worker, who’s also a 9-time felon, shot himself in the butt at a Bucktown gas station while on felony bail, prosecutors say (August 25, 2022)

#32: Killer shot motorcyclist 16 times while awaiting trial for a felony gun case, prosecutors say (September 1, 2022)

#33: Man killed his half-sister’s boyfriend while on electronic monitoring for shooting someone else, prosecutors say (September 5, 2022)

#34: Two months after posting bail for a felony gun case, he participated in a botched robbery that left the victim dead, prosecutors say (September 8, 2022)

#35: One week after being released on felony gun charge, man shot and killed rival gang member in random attack, prosecutors say (September 8, 2022)

#36: Driver exchanged shots with gunman in another car while on felony bail, prosecutors say (September 10, 2022)

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About CWBChicago 5997 Articles
CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com