Felon Who Shot Into Murdered Palos Heights Man's Grave Sentenced

CHICAGO — A man who shot into the open grave of a murdered Palos Heights man in 2017 was sentenced to 15 years in a federal prison. Elston Stevenson, 57, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., sentenced Stevenson July 1, in federal court in Chicago.

During the late afternoon of Nov. 20, 2017, Murad Talib, 39, was gunned down in his driveway of his home in Palos Heights’ tony Ishnala subdivision. Neighbors told Patch they heard gunshots. A police source said at the time that the gunman may have lain in wait for Talib to come out of his house.

When Palos Heights police arrived at the crime scene, they found the mortally wounded Talib lying in his driveway. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, when he died. The shooter had by then fled the scene before police arrived. Investigators believe that Talib and the shooter knew each other.

On the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 22, 2017, mourners were gathered for Talib’s burial in Evergreen Cemetery, 3401 W 87th St, Evergreen Park. Prosecutors said Stevenson approached the gathering and fired a single shot into the open grave, shouting: “You ain’t [expletive]. You got what you deserved.” Stevenson is then said to have waved his gun at the mourners before running away. Evergreen Park police arrested him moments later near the cemetery entrance.

“We did look at Stevenson, but he didn’t appear to be involved in the actual homicide,” said Deputy Chief Bill Czajkowski, of the Palos Heights Police Department.

Czajkowski said Talib’s case is still being actively investigated. Talib's case was transferred to federal court.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, special agent-in-charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Evergreen Park Police Department.

“When a felon brings a loaded gun to a populated area and uses the gun to threaten and endanger strangers, this conduct will not be tolerated,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Cornelius A. Vandenberg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The mourners were all in the immediate vicinity of the defendant when he produced the loaded weapon and were placed in danger by the defendant’s reckless firing of the weapon into the grave site.”

More on Patch:

Man Shot To Death In Palos Heights 'Not Random Incident': COPS

Palos Heights Homicide Victim Died From 'Multiple Gunshot Wounds'

Shots Fired At Palos Heights Murder Victim's Burial: Cops

'You Deserve It,' Alleged Shooter Yells At Murder Victim's Burial