Defendant In New Lenox Homicide Says He Has Alibi, Victim's Mother Says 'BS'

WILL COUNTY, IL — A Harvey man awaiting trial in a 2020 fatal shooting at a New Lenox gas station has told a Will County judge he has an alibi witness for that night, but the victim's mother says she's not buying it.

Kevin Johnson, now 19, was 16 at the time of the incident, and has been in custody on a $2.5 million bond since being charged with murder in the shooting death of Charles Baird, a 19-year-old New Lenox resident.

Johnson's attorney Jason Strzelecki told Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak this week that he would locate the witness—who has reportedly been living out of state and recently returned to Illinois—soon, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Baird’s mother said Johnson’s claims "are just more BS."

"Where was this person 3 1/2 years ago?" Jennifer Baird said. "Right now, I think he’s grasping at anything to get him out of what he did.

"We are ready for this to go to trial to try and put this nightmare behind us and try to move on without our Charlie. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we need some sort of closure to what happened."

Baird was shot at a New Lenox Circle K gas station in May 2020 when police said that a car, which had been stolen two days earlier from Lockport, pulled up to a gas pump near where Baird’s car was parked. Police said that while Baird was inside the gas station, an occupant from the stolen vehicle tried to open the door of Baird’s car, in an attempt to steal it. Baird’s car was locked, police said, and when another person approached him, words were exchanged and Baird was shot in the back. He was taken to a local hospital, but died two days later from his injuries. Police have said that Baird was able to describe the suspect before he died, and that they have video of the shooting.

Baird's mother also contends there was another person in the car who pointed to Johnson as the shooter.

Johnson—who remains in the custody of the Will County Sheriff—weeks ago used a condition of the SAFE-T Act, permitting those detained while awaiting trial to petition for pretrial release. A detention hearing is then held to determine if the detainee could be release pending trial. Pre-trial release may be denied "when it is determined that the defendant poses a specific, real and present threat to a person, or has a high likelihood of willful flight," according to the legislation.

Judge Bertani-Tomczak denied Johnson's motion.

Jennifer Baird earlier this month told Patch how important it is to see a conclusion to the case.

"We are in court every single court date because I want Kevin Johnson to know that Charlie has a family, a family that loves him and that Charlie’s life mattered, it mattered to me," she said.

"This happened on Mother’s Day, and my Mother’s Day will never be the same. Every time we go to court, it opens that night up all over again. It’s been three years; we need closure that the person who did this to our family is held accountable."

Last November, the man charged in the slaying asked for a reduction in bond to $500,000. The man agreed at the time that he would pay $50,000 and live with his grandmother if released. He also agreed to wear an electronic monitoring device as a condition of his release.

Johnson is next due in court Jan. 16.