Chicago, Illinois — Three individuals have been charged in connection with the brutal murder of a woman in the south suburban area of Riverdale. The victim, 29-year-old Danielle Banks from Harvey, was found dead in the street in the early hours of December 9. Authorities were alerted to the crime after receiving a report about a fire.
The three suspects, Scotty Jobe-Scott, 30, Keith Bassett, 55, and Latoya Laramore-Milons, 39, have each been charged with one count of first-degree murder. According to Cook County prosecutors, the motive behind the crime was a dispute over money. Danielle’s father mentioned that she was killed over a debt of $65.
Court documents filed by the prosecutors revealed gruesome details of the murder. The defendants allegedly beat and stabbed Danielle, causing severe injuries so bad that her eye fell out of its socket. They then set her body on fire, rendering it unrecognizable. In addition, it was reported that Laramore-Milons had a song titled “Killing the Rats” on her phone, which was played to drown out the cries of agony from the victim.
Further evidence presented by the prosecutors indicated that Laramore-Milons had researched topics such as “murder and burned body” on her phone prior to the killing.
Due to the extent of the physical damage done to Danielle’s body, Riverdale police had to release photos of a distinctive watch she was wearing and a description of a tattoo to help identify her.
Although Danielle’s family is grateful for some closure before the holidays, they admitted their lack of familiarity with the suspects. Danielle’s father explained that she had fallen into drug addiction, and despite his efforts to help her seek treatment, she believed she could overcome it on her own. Her father said that she would bring brightness to your life.
Despite the ongoing investigation, all three individuals charged in Danielle’s murder remain in custody and will appear in court on January 3. The family said they have some peace knowing that the people who did this horrible crime are in custody.