A suspect in the fatal shooting of a guard at a Far South Side grocery store was found hanged to death in a police lockup early this morning, hours after he was charged.
Develt Bradford, 52, was found in the Area 2 lockup at 727 E. 111th Street at about 1:30 a.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner's office, which ruled the death a suicide.
He was in a holding cell and apparently used his sweat pants or pajama bottoms to hang himself. Bradford had been alone in the cell and had been taken out periodically for questioning. Charges were filed about 9:20 p.m.
Bradford, of the 5300 block of South Damen Avenue, was arrested Tuesday. He was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in connection with the Nov. 10 holdup that left 54-year-old Reginald Lanier dead and a 67-year-old woman wounded, according to Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for Cook County state's attorney's office.
Bradford also had been charged with two counts of armed robbery from an Oct. 28 hold-up at another Aldi store on 47th Street and Ashland Avenue, Simonton said. He had been scheduled to appear in bond court today.
Police said Bradford was one of two men who walked into the Aldi at 9017 S. Halsted St. on Nov. 10. One of them shot Lanier in the head and torso, and the other approached the cashier. The woman, a customer, was shot in the leg, authorities said. The suspects fled with an unspecified amount of cash.
Officials said both men were believed to be responsible for another robbery of an Aldi store at 47th Street and Ashland Avenue on Oct. 28. No one was hurt during that hold-up.
Bradford was connected to one of the two robberies through a fingerprint match, authorities said. He was also identified as a suspect in a photo array.
His accomplice remains at large. Police have identified him as Michael Smith, 30, of the 5300 block of South Seeley Avenue. His record include five felony drug convictions dating back to 1998.
Bradford’s criminal background includes a few drug arrests, according to Cook County court records, most notably a 1999 felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 15 months probation for that crime
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