#47: North Side man attacked, sexually assaulted, threatened to kill woman while he was on felony bail, prosecutors say

A Chicago man attacked, repeatedly sexually assaulted, and threatened to kill a woman who was temporarily living with him until the nearly-naked victim managed to escape and flag down a Chicago police officer for help, prosecutors said Friday.

William Dukes was on bail for a pending aggravated DUI case that he repeatedly failed to show up in court for, Assistant State’s Attorney Sara Whitecotton said. He is the 47th 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 85 victims, 21 of whom died.

William Dukes | CPD

The victim was recently kicked out of her home, and Dukes, who knows the woman through friends, invited her to temporarily stay in his home in the 6200 block of North Washtenaw about a month ago, Whitecotton explained.

The woman awoke around 11 a.m. on Thursday to the sound of Dukes knocking on her bedroom door. According to Whitecotton, she slept in a different room than Dukes, and the two never had a sexual or romantic relationship.

The woman, 42, encountered Dukes in the living room. He was shirtless and pulled her to her knees by her hair while threatening to kill her with a boxcutter, Whitecotton continued. 

He then sexually assaulted the woman over and over again while holding a knife to her throat and threatening to “cut her into little pieces so that she would never be found,” said Whitecotton.

She said the woman eventually bit Duke’s penis in an effort to end the attack, but he became enraged and choked her until she passed out. When she regained consciousness, Dukes’ hands were still on her throat, and he told her she was “lucky” that she woke up, Whitecotton said.

Dukes eventually fell asleep, and the woman darted out of the house, naked from the waist down and wearing a t-shirt that Dukes had slashed with the box cutter.

She waved down a Chicago police sergeant and explained that she had escaped from a man who had sexually attacked her. The officer and backup units entered Dukes’ home and found him sleeping naked on the couch with a box cutter and knife on the floor.

EMS took the woman to a hospital for treatment of lacerations, scratches, and bruises, Whitecotton said.

Dukes has a lengthy felony criminal record, including two felony narcotics distribution convictions in 2010, two burglaries and two stolen motor vehicle cases in 2000, and three forgery cases, according to Whitecotton.

His defense attorney offered no arguments on his behalf during Friday’s bail hearing. The lawyer said Dukes is a high school graduate and certified auto mechanic who works as a plumber.

Judge Kelly McCarthy held Dukes without bail.

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)

#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 (September 15, 2022)

#38: Gunman shot 12-year-old boy in the head while on $1,000 bail for one of Illinois’ most serious gun crimes (September 17, 2022)

#39: A 16-year-old boy with two active juvenile gun cases shot and killed a man during a robbery last month, prosecutors say (September 22, 2022)

#40: Teen with pending gun case shot acquaintance at South Side gas station, prosecutors say (September 22, 2022)

#41: Felon engaged in ‘gunfight at the OK Corral’ while on electronic monitoring, officials say (September 22, 2022)

#42: Man nearly killed beloved chef during a violent carjacking and robbery in Chinatown—while on felony bail, prosecutors say (September 24, 2022)

#43: Driver of hijacked car that killed woman while fleeing police had a pending felony case, prosecutors say (October 1, 2022)

#44: Chicago man shot and killed 2 people at a party while on bond for attempted murder, prosecutors say (October 5, 2022)

#45: A man on bond and on parole for stolen car cases shot a concealed carry holder during a South Loop carjacking, prosecutors say (October 7, 2022)

#46: Man beat choked girlfriend, beat her with baseball bat while on felony bail, prosecutors say (October 15, 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