CHICAGO, IL – A 21-year-old man already incarcerated for murder and facing multiple charges is now linked to five more homicides, according to Chicago police. The suspect, Antonio Reyes, was just a teenager when these alleged crimes occurred, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.
For nearly five years, the families of four victims have been seeking justice, grappling with the loss of their loved ones. They have recently learned that the same individual might be responsible for the random acts of violence that took away their family members.
The ordeal has been a painful reminder for these families, who are still coming to terms with the sudden loss. One mother recalls the shocking call she received in 2020, informing her of her child’s death, a moment that still haunts her nearly five years later.
Reyes, now 21, was a mere 16 or 17 years old when he allegedly committed a series of murders, including that of 21-year-old Claudio Cosio. The killing spree reportedly took place over a nine-month period from March 2020 to November 2020. Reyes has been in custody since late 2020, initially charged with one murder, but now faces five additional murder charges and four attempted murder charges connected to surviving victims from the same incidents.
The senseless nature of these acts is difficult for many to comprehend. Cosio, who was a father and a UPS worker, was targeted while waiting in his car to pick up a friend for a basketball game. The crime occurred on April 5, 2020, on the 4100 block of South Sacramento.
Tragically, Cosio’s story is just one among several victims who were simply going about their daily lives when they were violently taken away. In another instance, a man was shot while taking his family to purchase a new puppy, ultimately succumbing to his injuries months later.
Investigators utilized ballistic evidence to connect a recovered .40 caliber handgun to several of the crimes. Additionally, they pieced together Reyes’ alleged involvement through social media activity, witness cooperation, and other digital evidence. The motive behind these shootings remains unclear, as none of the victims had any known connection to Reyes.
For the grieving families, the justice process is only beginning, with their pain unlikely to ever fully subside. One mother expressed relief that the alleged perpetrator is off the streets, although the heartache of losing her son is a wound that will never heal.
Reyes is no stranger to the criminal justice system. He is also accused of attempting to kill his cellmate with a shank fashioned from a construction nail and is implicated in another shooting that left a victim seriously wounded on Thanksgiving 2020, just before his initial arrest.