Photo courtesy of the Chicago Tribune
A Chicago mother took matters into her own hands and tracked down the man who fatally shot her teenage son.
While police investigated the murder, Leslie Bell was determined to find the suspected killer who killed 17-year-old Isaiah Davis. According to NBC Chicago, she spoke with neighbors to find out Davis’ whereabouts and the company he may have kept before he was murdered.
The grieving mom tracked down Faheem Norwood, 34, accused of shooting Davis to death on Oct. 28 in south suburban Burnham.
“I knew that it was him who hurt my son, who actually killed my son,” Bell said at a news conference on Jan. 7. “It was his interaction with me. He couldn’t give me eye contact, so that was it for me.”
Norwood was arrested on Dec. 31 and charged with first-degree murder in her son’s death. Harvey police and Cook County prosecutors disclosed that He appeared in court on Jan. 1 and was ordered to be held without bail.
On Friday, Chicago police acknowledged Bell, her family, and the community to assist with Norwood’s arrest.
“I thank the family of Isaiah Davis, his mother and her sisters for working with us to help bring this dangerous man to justice,” Harvey Police Deputy Chief Cameron Biddings said. “The arrest of Faheem Norwood was possible because the community worked with us.”
Bell said she was “just happy that a man like Faheem is in custody and won’t be able to hurt nobody else’s child as he did to mine.”
Norwood reportedly shot Davis on Oct. 28 and attempted to cover up the murder by setting the young man’s body on fire. At the time, they were both in the Burnham home when Norwood pointed
a gun at Davis and asked before pulling the trigger, “Would you take one for your boys?”After Norwood pulled the trigger the first time, no shot was discharged. But, according to prosecutors, when he pulled the trigger a second time, the gun went off.
The 34-year-old’s attorney said her client hadn’t intended on killing the teen and that they were a part of a group playing “Russian roulette.”
Prosecutors said that Norwood reportedly moved the body to a nearby apartment in Riverdale, then to an alley in Harvey, where the charred remains were found after being set on fire.
Before the shooting, “Norwood was on parole for a charge related to the Oct. 24, 2010 robbery and murders of Donysha Stovall, 28, Shaquill Davis, 16, Clarisma Torry, 10, and the attempted murder of a 4-year-old, police said,” NBC Chicago reported.
While he was found not guilty of murder, he was imprisoned on charges related to the case.
Bell said Norwood should have never been released from prison with such an extensive criminal history. “He should have never been able to walk the streets ever, after all of that,” Bell said. “My son would still be alive.”
“Every time I turn and something is broke, I think, oh I can’t call Isaiah, what am I gonna do,” Bell said. “Everything was Isaiah. He was my baby. He was the last child,” she added.
Bell revealed that Davis had planned to join the National Guard or become a lawyer after graduating from Thornton High School.