Crime
Tristan Clark and Lamarcus Bell killed in Sumter County shooting, suspect Christopher Hinton charged
Authorities in Sumter County have formally charged a 29-year-old Faunsdale man with capital murder following a deadly shooting that claimed the lives of two men during an altercation over the weekend.
According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Christopher Hinton has been charged with two counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of 35-year-old Tristan Clark and 37-year-old Lamarcus Bell.
Both victims were killed following a violent confrontation at “The Oak Tree,” a nightclub located in the Coatopa community.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Investigators say an altercation involving all three men escalated into gunfire, resulting in the deaths of Clark and Bell.
Hinton was detained by law enforcement at the scene but was not formally charged until Monday, May 12.
He is currently being held at the Sumter County Jail without bond.
The case remains under active investigation by local authorities.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.