Suspected Killer Charged With Murdering 3

May 30, 2010 10:01 pm US/Central

CHICAGO (CBS) ― They call him a serial killer, who preyed on women on the Far South Side. Sunday night he is in custody and being held without bond. Police say most likely he would have killed again, as CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports.

Michael Johnson is charged in at least three murders. His arrest is being chalked up to some keen police work by detectives who were able to connect the dots that led to a serial killer. But also aiding in their work, the fact that one of his victims survived the attack and was able to idenitfy him in a police line-up.

A series of abandoned buildings and addresses on the far south side is forever linked by 24-year-old Michael Johnson -- a man police call a serial killer who either murdered or attacked the women he brought inside.

Detective Regina Hightower believes he would have attacked again. But before knowing Johnson's name or face, detectives only knew the women had all been choked to death and engaged in risky lifestyles. In community alerts, police warned the same person was most likely responsible.

"You are racing against the clock and you have to come up with ideas and strategies in order to handle the situation," Hightower said.

Johnson is now charged with the murders of Eureka Jackson, Leslie Brown, and Siobhan Hampton, murders commited between November 2008 and May 2010, according to police sources. He was arrested at his home Thursday, just blocks from the killings. Johnson provided DNA to detectives after the brother of another victim who managed to survive the attack pointed him out to authorities.

"The key common denominator among the three victims was Johnson's DNA which was linked to each of the three women," said Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis.

Johnson, 24, of the 100 block of East 120th Place, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, according to a statement from police News Affairs. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved the charges late Saturday, police said.

The bodies of Leslie Brown, 38-year-old Eureka Jackson and 30-year-old Siobhan Hampton were all found in abandoned buildings on the Far South Side -- all strangled.

At 10:50 a.m. March 30, Hampton's body was discovered naked in an abandoned first-floor store front at 11322 S. Michigan Ave., police said. The building was previously the site of a fast food chicken restaurant.

Hampton, of an unidentified address, was dead on the scene and a March 31 autopsy determined she died of strangulation and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Roy Siler, Hampton's neighbor, said he can't stop thinking about the young mother who he described as funny and kind. He also can't stop thinking about her brutal death.

Authorities "should stay by the book, because we don't want to go by what I think should happen to him," he told CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli.

Brown, of an unidentified age and home address, was found murdered in January 2010 and Jackson was found strangled in November 2008 inside an abandoned building at 34 E. 120th St.

Lutelda Michele Hudson, 29, of 11825 S. Princeton Ave., was found dead about 10:40 am. May 16 in a vacant building in the 11900 block of South Harvard Avenue, authorities said. A May 17 autopsy determined Hudson died of strangulation and her death has been ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office. Police are still awaiting DNA results in the case of Michele Hudson, a possible fourth victim who died two weeks ago.

All the women were African-American, and found in the area of 113th to 120th streets from South Michigan to South Harvard avenues, according to a community alert.

The killing is straining the faith of Hudson's mother.

"I am a child of god and I will forgive him because that's what you have to do," said Hudson's mother Lutelda. "It's going to be awhile before I can say I honestly forgive him and have closure."

On the street where he lived, neighbors say Johnson seemed an unlikey candidate for the gruesome crimes he's said to have commited.

"He wasn't really a tough guy, kind of rough or nothing like that, he seemd like he wasn't a threat or nothing," said Mr. Brown, a neighbor. "He was just a regular guy."

The brother of Johnson's surviving victim got into a fight with the suspect when they just walked by him on the street. That's when police collected their DNA. He was charged with battery and let go. He was only arrested later for the murders when tests were conclusive. Police believe Johnson may be responsible for other murders, so their investigative work continues.

From: http://cbs2chicago.com/local/dna.match.leads.2.1722515.html