'Little Killer' Tried to Kill a Man: Cops

JOLIET, IL — Eight months off a victory in a murder trial, Daeviontae “Little Killer” Pruitte now must contend with an attempted murder charge.

Pruitte, 22, was already in the Will County jail for allegedly stealing a cell phone when he was hit with charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and possessing a weapon as a felon.

Pruitte was allegedly one of two men involved in a Tuesday morning gun attack on Marcella Avenue outside Joliet. Two men were wounded — one critically — in the shooting.

Pruitte’s latest shooting case comes eight months after he was found not guilty of murder by Will County Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes. He had spent a year and a half in custody while he was charged with gunning down 54-year-old Timothy Egner outside the Center Street Wendy’s in August 2012.

Judge Alessio Policandriotes found Pruitte not guilty despite prosecutors claiming he referred to himself as the “killer” and the “little killer” during recorded jailhouse telephone conversations. During Pruitte’s trial, one of his attorneys explained that calling oneself a “killer” is merely a slang expression and similar to saying “player.”

Egner was waiting outside the Wendy’s to pick up a family member who had worked the night shift when he was slain.