No bond for man accused of running over, killing young mechanic in Auto Zone parking lot in West Chatham

Leah Hope Image
Thursday, January 10, 2019
No bond for man accused of running over, killing young mechanic in West Chatham
An Indiana man charged with first degree murder in the hit-and-run death of a young mechanic in Chicago was ordered held without bond on Thursday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An Indiana man charged with first degree murder in the hit-and-run death of a young mechanic in Chicago was ordered held without bond on Thursday.

Police believe 29-year-old Keith Watley from East Chicago was holding a grudge and showed up Monday to settle a score. Police said he used his Ford pickup truck to run over and kill a young mechanic who he argued with the day before.

Several eyewitnesses said Watley hit Carlos Posadas, 22, in the parking lot of an Auto Zone in the West Chatham neighborhood while Posadas was working on a customer's Honda. The Honda was hit so hard, it crushed Posadas underneath it.

Family of the victim said it may have all stemmed from an argument over a payment for a job both men did together. Now, they are struggling to pay for the funeral.

"It's not worth taking his life," said Marbella Guzman, the victim's sister-in-law. "It wasn't worth taking his life, but I guess he's a heartless person."

In court the prosecutor referenced the argument between the two the day before over $100 for fixing a customers car. Among the evidence, a prosecutor told the judge about surveillance video of the scene.

"Keith Watley speeds straight towards the victim without braking or swerving. Carlos Posadas is struck and pinned between the front end of the defendant's truck and the passenger side of the Honda Accord he was working on... After striking the victim, Keith Watley then drove his full size pick up truck over Carlos Posadas causing additional serious injuries. Carlos Posadas was pronounced dead at the scene from those injuries," said Assistant State's Attorney Jaime Santini.

As the pickup raced away from the 200-block of West 87th Street, several eyewitnesses went after it so police could catch up with the suspect.

Posadas was a father of two young children. His family says he worked hard as a mechanic to try to provide for his family. They have created a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising enough money to send his body home to Honduras so his mother there can say goodbye and lay him to rest.

"She actually got hospitalized the day she was told," Guzman said. "She's not doing too well."

Watley's family members share a different story, alleging that Posadas had threatened Watley. They claim Watley was so afraid he told his wife and children to leave their home after Sunday's fight.

"I feel bad for his family. I do. But my main concern is my son and the outcome of this situation," said Andrea Riley, Watley's mother. "That's not my son, that's not the child that I raised. And there is more to this story then the media has been exposed to."

Watley is due back in court January 28. His family said they expect more to be revealed about the circumstances before Watley got into his truck.

Meanwhile the family of Posadas is in the process of planning his funeral and his ultimate return to Honduras. More tributes were planned.

"A lot of us are in the denial, we want to wake up and think it's a nightmare. That's about how we all are right now," said Guzman.