Sentencing Delayed Again For Man Convicted In New Lenox Homicide

JOLIET — Sentencing has again been pushed back for a Harvey man convicted in the 2020 homicide of a New Lenox man.

Kevin Johnson, 21, was to be sentenced at his previously re-scheduled date, but it has been delayed again. Initially set for May, it was then rescheduled to June 24, and now has been pushed to August.

Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak in March found Johnson guilty in the slaying of Charlie Baird. Baird, 19, was shot in the back May 11, 2020, at the New Lenox Circle K gas station. He died days later.

Johnson, now 21, was 16 at the time of the shooting. He opted to have the judge decide his case rather than select a jury of Will County citizens to decide his fate. Johnson also chose not to take the witness stand and testify in his own defense.

Baird's mother Jen spoke with Patch the day of the verdict.

"Obviously, we're extremely pleased with the verdict the judge had given Mr. Johnson," Jen Baird told Joliet Patch's John Ferak. "Coming into court, I almost had the same feeling in my stomach of knots of everything that transpired from the beginning to know when the cops came to my house to tell us that Charlie got shot. It was almost the same feeling I had today, just a bunch of nerves.

"I kind of had a feeling which way she was leaning, but you never know. My family is extremely grateful to Will County State's Attorney's Office, to all agencies that worked Charlie's case to get him. And now, we can sleep a little easier knowing that Charlie's killer is going to be behind bars, hopefully for a long time."

Sentencing has now been tentatively rescheduled for August 25, Jen Baird shared with supporters on social media.

Patch Editor John Ferak contributed to this report.