15-year-old charged with murder of Chicago mail carrier in July

CHICAGO– A 15-year-old boy was arrested in Iowa and charged with murder in the shooting death of a mailman in Chicago over the summer, police said Tuesday.

Octavia Redmond, 48, was shot while walking on Chicago’s South Side on July 19. A juvenile got out of a stolen SUV, approached her and shot her multiple times at close range before fleeing in the vehicle, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Redmond died in hospital.

The Chicago Police Department said in a statement that its officers, along with U.S. police officers, arrested the teen Monday in Cedar Rapids on a murder warrant. He was extradited to Chicago, where he was charged with first-degree murder as a juvenile.

The teen appeared in juvenile court Tuesday and was taken into custody, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said in an email. His next court date is November 1.

Police said in a post on X that investigators used police and private camera footage to identify the teen and trace his movements before and after the shooting. The department said investigators also received an anonymous tip identifying him and were looking for “other offenders.”

Police and the state’s attorney’s office did not respond to questions about whether the teen had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

The Postal Service is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any suspects.

“When members of our postal family are targeted, postal inspectors will not rest until justice is served on behalf of the victims, their families and our postal community,” said Ruth Mendonca, inspector in charge of the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. in a press release Tuesday. “This arrest is the first step in achieving justice for Ms. Redmond. We hope this brings the Redmond family some semblance of relief. As our investigation continues, we continue our appeal to the public to come forward with any information that can continue to bring those responsible to justice.