A Chicago Kings Latino congregation member with Down syndrome has been accused of killing a man in front of his pregnant wife in a road attack and then killing a man in a case of mistaken identity 10 days later.
Chicago authorities alleged the killings were committed by Nicholas Smash-Samudio, 22, in February.
On February 16, Samudio was charged with shooting Humberto Marin-Garcia, 28, after a road rage incident in the Bridgeport section of the city, while on February 26 he shot and killed Tomas Villa, 22, in the North Lawndale neighborhood after mistaking him for a member of Rival gang.
Samudio, along with alleged accomplice Moses Maldonado, 21, were arrested hours after Villa’s death when Chicago police spotted them riding in a stolen Chrysler 300.
During his first court hearing, Samudio’s attorney revealed that his client had been diagnosed with Down Syndrome, a condition that causes mental and physical disabilities.
Nicholas ‘Smush’ Samudio, 22, has been arrested 17 times since his 18th birthday, according to online records
Humberto Marín Garcia was shot dead in front of his pregnant wife following a road rage incident on February 16
Ten days later Thomas Villa was shot dead after Samudio assumed he was a member of a rival gang because of the hat he was wearing.
His lawyer also said that Samudio worked both for a demolition company and as a furniture mover.
The suspect is charged with felony murder, attempted murder and aggravated release of a firearm.
Online records show that Samudio has been arrested 17 times since his 18th birthday.
On Tuesday, Chicago voters rejected candidate Paul Fallas, who promised a tough stance on crime in the Windy City in favor of Brandon Johnson, a progressive community organizer who is seeking more funding for mental health and youth programs to combat the city’s crime epidemic.
Samudio was previously considered a person of interest in the 2020 murder of Jean-Carlo Cuban in the McKinley Park neighborhood, but he was never charged in that case.
Cobian was found shot in the back of the head near his parked car. His family said he was on his way home when he was killed, according to reports NBC Chicago.
Meanwhile, Maldonado has been on parole since October 2022. In addition, he is his soon-to-be father, according to his lawyer.
After Garcia was shot on Feb. 16, Samudio was looked at by police after an ‘extensive investigation’, reports say Chicago Sun Times.
The newspaper report says Garcia was killed after a “road struggle that spilled onto the freeway” around 9:30 p.m. Police said they shot out the driver’s side window of Garcia’s gray SUV and the car was found after it stopped on the highway.
Brandon Johnson, Cook County Commissioner and Chicago Teachers Union organizer, was announced as the new mayor of the Windy City Tuesday night.
Garcia’s pregnant wife, Mayra Solis, was with him in the car but she was unharmed. a GoFundMe page Set up by Garcia’s brother, it has raised more than $10,000 since the murder.
Humberto was a hardworking family man who put the needs and desires of others before his own. He devoted his life to his wife and two daughters. Humberto was also upside down awaiting the arrival of his second child.
Our family, especially my cousin, and her young daughters have been devastated by Humberto’s death. Our family is doing everything they can to raise funds to help cover the cost of unexpected funeral expenses and to assist with any other unexpected costs their family may incur.
Ten days later, police said Samudio and Maldonado had mistaken Tomas Villa for a rival gang member because of his hat. When he walked past the pair’s parked car, Maldonado opened fire, prompting Villa to seek cover between two cars.
Police said that was when Samudio got out of the car and shot Villa. The victim was shot multiple times.
Later that night, Samudio and Maldonado are arrested by the police and a police chase begins. During the chase, Samudio is accused of throwing an item from the car.
Eventually the couple got out of the car and ran from the cops, prompting the officers to use stun guns on them.
After the chase, investigators found a . 380 caliber weapon that matched the shell casings found at Villa’s murder scene. Gunshot residue was also found on hero Samudio’s red headdress, the Sun-Times reports.
The duo is being held without bail in the Cook County Jail. Judge Barbara Dawkins called the shooting a “bold and brazen crime”.
