July 03--Two men were charged after a 20-year-old woman was fatally stabbed and two other people injured during an attack Monday that was fueled by Facebook threats in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood.
Raymond Boyle, 21, of the 1500 block of North Pulaski Road, and Dalton J. Stropes, 20, of the 2000 block of West Arthur Avenue, were each charged with murder, mob action and aggravated battery, police said.
Stropes, who was wanted on two warrants, was ordered held without bail while Boyle was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail Thursday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
Angelica Escamilla, 20, was fatally stabbed and a 19-year-old man was beaten about 3:30 p.m. Monday in the 2100 block of West Sunnyside Avenue, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Prosecutors said in court on Thursday that Boyle had been "feuding" with the 19-year-old beating victim prior to the incident. Boyle, Stropes and Escamilla then decided to lure the 19-year-old into an alley behind the 2100 block of West Windsor Avenue, prosecutors said.
Boyle approached the 19-year-old on the street and they ended up in the alley, prosecutors said. In the alley, Stropes and Escamilla surrounded the 19-year-old, who then took out a 2-inch-long pocketknife to scare them away, prosecutors said.
The three began trying to bait the 19-year-old to fight and he put away the knife, prosecutors said. Escamilla then got into the 19-year-old's "face and threatened to beat his a--," prosecutors said.
Escamilla punched the 19-year-old in the face, and then Boyle and Stropes joined in the beating, prosecutors said. The 19-year-old was backed against a pole in the alley as he continued to be beaten, prosecutors said.
At that point, the beating victim took his knife out again from his boot and stabbed Escamilla, who was in front of him punching him along with Boyle and Stropes, prosecutors said. The victim then stabbed and cut Stropes and Boyle, they said.
Prosecutors said a neighbor witnessed part of the incident.
After the stabbing, the victim fled and called 911, prosecutors said. He told police he had "defended himself," police said.
Prosecutors said they determined that the victim acted in self-defense and therefore was not charged.
An autopsy determined Escamilla, of the 4200 block of North Lincoln Avenue, died of a stab wound to the chest, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office. She was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. Monday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Boyle was taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital with cuts to the face, officials said. Stropes was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital with multiple stab wounds to his right bicep, left nipple and upper left back and a puncture wound to his lung.
The man met police at the Rogers Park District station, covered in blood. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for treatment.
Police said the Facebook threats involved gang conflicts.
Witnesses described at least one police helicopter and squad cars searching the area after the stabbing.
