Suspect's accent leads to arrest in girl's death
(http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/447174,CST-NWS-girl28.article)

June 28, 2007

BY ANNIE SWEENEY AND NORMAN PARISH Staff Reporters

Among the gang slogans shouted on the street in the minutes before 13-year-old Schanna Gayden was shot Monday, one was distinct.


Witnesses told police they heard a Jamaican-sounding accent -- a detail that perked the ears of longtime Chicago Detective George Figueroa, who has tracked the Imperial Gangsters for about 20 years.

Figueroa, who keeps notes and pictures on the gang, didn't know of any Jamaicans, but he knew an African immigrant who started running with the Imperial Gangsters a few years ago.

Mwenda Murithi -- known as "Kenya" on the street -- was immediately arrested. Shortly afterward, a second reputed Imperial Gangster, 19-year-old Tony Serrano, was picked up. Both were charged with Schanna's murder Wednesday after giving statements to police.

"The only one that came to mind was Murithi,'' Figueroa said. "He does have a thick African accent. That gave it away. Sometimes you get lucky."

Schanna's mother said she took comfort that police made the arrests so quickly.

"If I am lucky, they will be in [jail] forever,'' Rita Sallie said. "That is the least that can happen."

Serrano lives about three blocks from Schanna's family. Wednesday, Logan Square residents referred to the Serrano home in a three-flat as "the gang house."

Susanna Rosa, 38, who told the Sun-Times she took Serrano in after his mother left a few weeks ago, said, "We feel bad for [Schanna's] parents, but we also feel bad for Tony."

Rosa claimed Serrano was forced into the gang after moving into the neighborhood last fall and getting caught up in the street life. "This is the ghetto," she said. "It's a rough neighborhood."

Rivalry goes way back

Police think Murithi told Serrano to shoot at rival Spanish Cobras congregating on the other side of Central Park, the street that divides the two gangs. Serrano allegedly missed and struck Schanna, who was standing at a fruit vendor at a playground at 2030 N. Central Park.

Witnesses heard the group yelling, "Get the gun,'' and, "Light them up,'' before the shots were fired.

Murithi, of the 3600 block of West Fullerton, has been arrested 28 times, including for four felonies. Serrano, of the 3500 block of West Dickens, has two prior arrests.

"Hopefully there will be more arrests," said Grand Central Area Cmdr. Joseph Salemme. "The community has been very forthcoming.''

The rivalry between the gangs goes back as long as Figueroa can remember. This dispute seems to have started with taunts, escalating to a shooting.

"It's like they had tunnel vision,'' Figueroa said. "All they could see is it's rival gang members, and they start shooting. This poor girl just happens to be on the street at the wrong time.''

Figueroa, an officer for 31 years, started tracking the IGs back when he was a gang crimes specialist.

His knowledge is so deep that his bosses have asked him to monitor the case of Ronnie Carrasquillo, the leader of the incarcerated faction of the Imperial Gangsters. Carrasquillo is in prison for the 1976 killing of Chicago Police Officer Terrence Loftus, but he has lined up a prominent congressman, two state legislators, a city alderman and a County Board commissioner in his bid to win freedom through parole.

Contributing: Eric Herman