Arrest warrant issued in fatal West Town stabbing as family demands ‘justice for Kenny’

A painting of Kenneth Paterimos is displayed at his funeral Saturday. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

A week after a Pilsen barista was stabbed to death by a man who allegedly had hurled homophobic slurs at him — and days after a suspect was released without charges — an arrest warrant has been issued in connection with the attack that happened outside a West Town bar, police said Saturday.

The warrant was issued Thursday for a 30-year-old man following the fatal stabbing Feb. 21 of Kenneth Paterimos, according to Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. It had not been served as of Saturday afternoon, Guglielmi said.

Announcement of the warrant came as family and friends gathered on the West Side Saturday morning for the victim’s funeral.

A 30-year-old man had been taken into custody at the scene of the late-night attack outside Richard’s Bar at 491 N. Milwaukee Ave., but he was later released without charges after claiming self-defense, police had said.

Police would not immediately confirm if the warrant was issued for the same person.

Kenneth Paterimos

The man who initially was questioned by detectives is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was previously convicted of battery, according to court records. The Chicago Sun-Times isn’t naming him because criminal charges have not been filed.

At his funeral, Paterimos, 23, was described as a kind and compassionate, upbeat and fun-loving young member of a Mexican immigrant family, always ready to give of himself or try to help or cheer someone up.

“He loved dancing, and house music. And he always hung out with his family. He had a lot of family, a huge family,” his oldest brother, Julian Bueno, said at the service at Fountain Jordan Shepard Funeral Home, where many wore T-shirts with his photo and “Rest In Paradise, Kenny,” on the front, and “House music all night long,” on the back.

“He was continuing the house music style of Chicago, and he definitely loved his city. He’s one that I try to get him out of state on a trip, and he goes, ‘No, I’ll just go to a different side of the city I haven’t seen.’ He was: ‘Love your city. Love your people,’” his brother said.

Cruzito Bueno stands behind his brother’s casket during a wake and funeral for Kenneth Paterimos on Saturday.

Paterimos had most recently worked at Step Down Cafe in Pilsen, a job he enjoyed because it allowed him to meet and talk with new people, relatives said.

“Kenny was always a very kind-hearted and sweet young man. I’m sorry that his life was taken so soon. He was too young,” said a cousin speaking at the funeral, who identified herself only as Vanessa. She used to babysit him as a child.

“I believe in the Lord and I believe that things are going to come to light, and we are going to get justice for Kenny,” she said.

Authorities and Paterimos’ family said the ex-Marine who was questioned in the slaying had yelled racial and homophobic slurs at Paterimos during a fight inside the bar, before the older man was kicked out.

Paterimos left the bar soon after to go home, his family said, and was headed for a nearby Blue Line station when he was repeatedly stabbed in the neck and back down the street.

Paterimos returned to the bar and collapsed, leading his older brother to rush out the door and tackle the ex-Marine outside the bar until authorities arrived, family said.

Family and friends gather for a wake and funeral for Kenneth Paterimos on Saturday.

Another cousin speaking at the funeral, who identified herself only as Aliyah, said of her cousin: “He had just this energy, this love. In a room full of people, he would just show up next to you and be like, ‘What’s up? Why are you being quiet? You holding out on me? What’s the matter? This and that.’ The older we got, the closer we got. Kenny was just everything to me. And that’s what I’m going to remember. He was my favorite ‘Hello.’”

Another brother, Cruzito Bueno, thanked the standing-room only crowd who came to support the family. “He really would have loved it, and my mom needs it,” he said.

“I know he’s up there, with his collar turned up, bragging that this special moment is just for him, but saying, why couldn’t they do it when he was here? He loved when people talked about him,” his brother said. “But meaningfully — not just like, he’s pretty and had good music, but the actual things he did for people. He loved to hear that you felt what he was trying to give to you, or what he was trying to do for you.”

Besides his two brothers, survivors include his mother, Diona Bueno; his father, Kenneth, Sr.; a third brother, Anthony Paterimos; and a sister, Desiree Paterimos.