Englewood triple homicide suspect found dead after hours-long standoff

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police said an 11-hour standoff with a triple homicide suspect ended after the man was found dead in a Far South Side home.

Police identified the suspect as Kevin Robinson, 31. Police said he is a convicted felon suspected of killing his ex-girlfriend and two of her relatives during a domestic dispute in an Englewood home in the 1500-block of West 71st Street around 11:20 p.m. Wednesday.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the three victims as Jerome T. Wright, 50, Makeesha Starks, 26, and Kiara Kinard Starks, 26. Makeesha Starks was Robinson's ex-girlfriend.

"I don't know why anybody would do anything like that," said Jonathan Ford, a relative of the victims. "Makeesha and Kiara were hard-working women and great mothers."

A relative of the victims said Robinson and Makeesha Starks had a child together and that she had recently broken up with him because she believed he was not a good role model.

Robinson barricaded himself in a home in the 10300-block of South Union Avenue in the city's Fernwood neighborhood for nearly 12 hours on Thursday. Police said there were several people, including children inside the home at the time, but all were able to escape unharmed.

Chicago police, SWAT teams and ambulances arrived on the scene around 4:30 a.m. Police fired gas canisters into the home and attempted to coax Robinson out of the home by communicating to him with a bullhorn.

"Once we're able to contain the scene, we attempt to make negotiations and try to talk to that individual. At some point, we did have a short conversation with him where he did answer a phone, but that conversation did not go anywhere," said Deputy Chief Steve Georges, Chicago Police Special Functions Unit.

The last time police said they made contact with Robinson was around 9:15 a.m. Thursday, when they said Robinson leaned out of a window of the house and fired several shots at SWAT team members, who returned fire.

No officers were injured. It is unclear whether the suspect was injured in the exchange of gunfire. Police also addressed claims Robinson tried to surrender.

"The only time we ever saw him from the outside looking in is when he emerged from that window with a handgun and fired 12 rounds at our officers," Dep. Chief Georges said.

Around 3 p.m., a SWAT team made entry and found Robinson unresponsive. Police said they believed he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A weapon was recovered from the home.

Police said Robinson has an extensive record, including an arrest for attempted murder and an armed robbery conviction in which he served time in prison.

Robinson's relatives said they never knew him to be violent and do not believe he took his own life.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said an autopsy Friday found Robinson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.