Brother of Deceased Woman Charged with Attempted Murder

Javan Weatherspoon, 34, is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly attacking a woman he accused of involvement in his sister’s death. Chicago police arrested him and charged him with one count of attempted first-degree murder. The arrest follows the disappearance and discovery of his sister, Zenobia Weatherspoon, found dead in a garbage can the previous month.

Zenobia, 38, was reported missing on July 10. Her body was discovered in an alley in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Authorities have yet to release the official cause of death, as the investigation into her passing continues.

In a court appearance at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, prosecutors accused Javan Weatherspoon of shooting a 45-year-old woman. They claimed he believed she knew what happened to his sister. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Weatherspoon confronting the woman in a parking lot on South Halsted Street.

Prosecutors alleged that Weatherspoon approached the woman, who had been friends with his sister. He accused her of knowing details about Zenobia’s death. Although she denied having any additional information, the confrontation escalated. According to prosecutors, Weatherspoon struck her with a small firearm, causing her to fall. He then shot her in the pelvis before walking away.

Witnesses stated that Weatherspoon briefly left the scene but returned to argue with the woman again. He fired a second shot, which missed. A bystander contacted emergency services, and the victim received medical attention at the University of Chicago Medical Center. She suffered a gunshot wound to the hip and a head fracture.

Officers apprehended Javan Weatherspoon at his residence on West 54th Place. The Cook County public defender’s office has assigned an assistant public defender to his case. The office emphasized that initial statements are allegations and the case may evolve as further investigations occur.

Weatherspoon remains in custody until his trial, with the next court date set for July 29.