Trial might not be until fall for Harvey teen charged with murder in 2020 New Lenox shooting

The trial date for the Harvey teen facing murder charges for the May 2020 fatal shooting of 19 year old Charles Baird outside a New Lenox gas station won’t be set until Feb. 21 as prosecutors work to verify an alibi witness. At the Nov. 30 hearing, public defender Jason Strzelecki told Will County Judge Amy Bertani Tomczak the witness has lived out of state the past few years but recently moved back to Illinois.

Advertisement Jennifer Baird, Charles’ mother, said Tuesday Assistant State’s Attorney Christine Vukmir told her she hadn’t yet received information about the alibi witness. Charlie Baird (David Baird) “They were supposed to get something to the state’s attorney a week after the last court date, but that didn’t happen,” Baird said.

Advertisement Baird said it’s likely the trial won’t start until September or October, as Vukmir shared with her that she has other murder trials scheduled this year already. The defendant was 16 when prosecutors say he shot Charles Baird outside the Circle K gas station on Nelson Road. The teen, now 19, remains in custody of the Will County sheriff’s office.

Baird said it is important to her and her husband the trial is thorough, but she also wants it to be completed this year. “I want this to be done in 2024 because it’s going to be four years in May,” Baird said. “Looks like our case will be toward the end of the year.” Baird said she has hoped the trial would conclude before her youngest son, who was in eighth grade when Charles was fatally shot, started college.

But she said he starts college in the fall. “I need it to be done,” Baird said. “Every time we come the day is brought up and it’s a bad day.” akukulka@chicagotribune.com.