Update: DeKalb couple charged in July 4 murder, witnessed by victim's kids, held in jail pending further review

DeKALB – DeKalb County Assistant State's Attorney Stephanie Klein said when Chrishun Keeler-Tyus was shot and killed in the parking lot of a FasMart midday on the Fourth of July, his three children were in his car watching, and his eldest, a 5-year-old "reported seeing his daddy shot."

The 29-year-old was not the only victim in the holiday shooting, which police say occurred after Keeler-Tyus and Katrina L. Edwards, 35, got into an argument around 2 p.m. that Saturday. Keeler-Tyus' girlfriend, the mother of his three children, was also shot in the leg or hip area, Klein said, but has since been released from Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital.

"This level of almost spontaneous, senseless and lethal violence is a danger to each and every person in our community," Klein said as she appeared before DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Montgomery for the Edwards' bond hearing Monday. "And of particular concern is specifically the safety of the other individual who was injured as well as others who were present at the FasMart."

The duo is charged with murder though police believe a third person pulled the trigger, and additional arrests are expected in the Fourth of July homicide.

Katrina L. Edwards, 35, and her husband Jimmy D. Edwards, 32, both of the 400 block of Charter St., DeKalb, are charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Keeler-Tyus. Katrina Edwards is also charged with obstructing justice. If convicted, they face between 20 to 60 years in jail, or a minimum of 35 years due to the charge being a non-probational offense.

Montgomery ruled Monday to continue the case until Wednesday at 11 a.m. while he reviews it. The two will be held without bail at the DeKalb County Jail until at least then, however, Montgomery is expected to weigh on Klein's motion to deny bail at that time.

More details come to light

More is now known about the deadly shooting on July 4th, including that multiple children were present at the time, and Klein said video surveillance shows the Edwards' actions led to the death of Keeler-Tyus.

According to surveillance footage from the FasMart, 933 S. Fourth St., Katrina Edwards' burgundy Sedan was parked at the opposite side of the same gas pump Keeler-Tyus and his family were using.

Katrina Edwards was accompanied by a teenage girl, Klein said.

They got into a verbal disagreement, as police reported multiple witnesses at the scene who heard Katrina call her husband and say, "You need to come down here and take care of this..." and then used a racial epithet which begins with the letter n, Klein said.

Minutes later, Jimmy Edwards appeared in a blue car with his mother, Klein said, got out of the car, and gestured to another black Dodge Avenger--which police later learned was owned by his mother, but driven by an unknown third person, who police believe pulled the trigger.

The dodge then entered the parking lot of the FasMart, and Jimmy Edwards was seen on camera gesturing once more to the car, at which time Katrina Edwards began to drive her own car quickly out of the parking lot, and Jimmy ran on foot to the exit of the parking lot, Klein said.

Seven gunshots rang out, hitting both Keeler-Tyus and his girlfriend, Klein said, and seven shell casings and bullets were recovered.

"They reacted before anybody else at the FasMart to the gunshots," Klein said.

Their lawyer, Kenneth Johnson, argued Monday that they be released on electronic home monitoring, and that there is not evidence to show either asked the shooter to kill Keeler-Tyus.

"It appears that Mr. Edwards was actually running away before the shots were fired," Johnson said. "There's no indication that he ever asked someone to bring a firearm, had any knowledge that anyone had a firearm."

The car was later found by police at an auto repair shop and car dealership in Aurora, and Klein said video surveillance from that shop shows Jimmy Edwards dropping the black Dodge off at the dealership about one hour and 20 minutes after the shooting.

Klein said surveillance then shows a woman and teenage girl matching the description of Katrina Edwards and the teen who was with her at the FasMart coming to pick him up in Aurora.

Video surveillance then shows Jimmy Edwards the next day, July 5, at the FasMart in DeKalb checking to see where security cameras on the building are located, Klein said.

Klein said Jimmy Edwards later told police he didn't know about the black Dodge car or its occupants, but his mother told police the black Dodge was her car.

The two will appear again Wednesday in front of a DeKalb County judge to continue their bond hearings.