City worker charged with murder in Sound Bar shooting

Chicago police investigate the scene where two people were shot outside River North club Sound Bar on March 8, 2019. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

A city worker is the third man to be charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a security guard earlier this year outside a River North nightclub.

Michael Matthews, 41, faces charges of first-degree murder and mob action in connection with the March 8 shooting outside Sound Bar, Cook County prosecutors said at a hearing Monday, where Matthews’ bail was set at $500,000.

Matthews worked as a city asphalt laborer for the Chicago Department of Transportation until Friday when he resigned, city spokesman Michael Claffey said. Matthews had worked for the city since 2012.

Previously charged were 37-year-old Armond Williams, a former high school and college basketball star in the city who was featured in an MTV show hosted by LeBron James, and Jon Elliot Poole, 34.

Poole and Williams are each accused of firing the gun used in the shooting and have been ordered held without bail. Both pleaded not guilty to multiple felony counts of murder, attempted murder and mob action during hearings last month.

Matthews got into a fight with members of the nightclub’s security the week before the shooting when Matthews objected to a pat-down search when he tried to enter the club, prosecutors said.

Matthews then returned to the club early March 8 with Williams, Poole and others, and Matthews began yelling at 28-year-old security guard Thurmond Bailey and another security guard about his issues with the search a week before, prosecutors said.

The argument turned physical and a security gate was knocked over. Prosecutors said two security guards were punched, leading Bailey to pull out a gun.

Williams then also produced a gun and shot Bailey, prosecutors said. The group was running away when Williams passed the gun to Poole who turned and fired at the club, prosecutors said. Bailey, who remained conscious after being wounded, returned fire but did not strike anyone.

Michael Matthews

Bailey suffered multiple gunshot wounds and later died at a hospital. A 58-year-old man was also hurt by bullet fragments in the shooting.

Prosecutors said Matthews was identified in a photo array by another security guard that witnessed the shooting and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Wednesday. He turned himself in to authorities Sunday.

William Murphy, a private defense attorney who represented Matthews at his bail hearing Monday, said he had security footage of the shooting that allegedly showed Bailey wearing a ski mask and “pistol whipping” a person outside the club before the shooting.

Murphy asked Judge Mary Marubio to set bail for Matthews and place him on electronic monitoring, arguing that Matthews hadn’t fired a shot that night and should not be charged with murder.

Armond Williams

Murphy cited a recent Lake County case in which murder charges were dropped against five Chicago teenagers after a member of their group was fatally shot by a homeowner in the north suburbs while they allegedly tried to break into a vehicle.

Cook County prosecutors immediately argued that a case in Lake County had no bearing on the hearing Monday.

Marubio agreed and said she wouldn’t consider it, while also noting that prosecutors were within their rights to charge Matthews with murder and mob action if he was a participant.

However, Marubio noted Matthews’ lack of criminal record and set his bail at $500,000 with electronic monitoring if he posts bond. His next court date was set for Oct. 18.

Jon Elliot Poole