A judge ordered a Chicago man to be held without bond in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, her mother, and her sister. The brutal killings allegedly happened after he argued with his girlfriend, who refused to cook him breakfast and braid his hair.
According to The Houston Chronicle, John Matthews fled to Iowa after the June 22 shooting of his girlfriend Shonta Harris, 24, her mother, Frances Neal, 56, and her sister, Jasmine Neal, 27. He was arrested last Thursday in Burlington, Iowa, after being identified as a murder suspect.
Prosecutors presented Cook County Circuit Judge Charles Beach II with a videotaped statement from the girlfriend that points to the 25-year-old Matthews as the shooter. They also said Matthews’ own grandmother told authorities that her grandson was the killer. Judge Beach ordered Matthews to be held without bail on three counts of first-degree murder.
Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said the suspect went ballistic after Harris told him she wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t cook him breakfast or braid his hair on June 22nd of this year. An enraged Matthews then attacked his girlfriend, punching her. His grandmother tried to defuse the situation by taking Harris outside. But Matthews followed them and was yelling at Harris as she called her mother for help, Murphy said.
When Harris’ mother and sister arrived to pick her up, the argument continued, with Matthews allegedly pulling a gun and shooting all three.
Frances and Jasmine Neal were pronounced dead at the scene. Harris succumbed to her injuries and died Sept. 5.
Matthews and Harris dated for two years and have a son, who was 4 months old at the time of the shootings.
