Several high-profile cases related to violence in Oak Park have been progressing through the Cook County court system.
According to county records, several people awaiting charges stemming from Oak Park murder and attempted murder investigations will appear in court in the coming weeks as their cases progress towards trial.
Jerell Thomas
The fatal shooting of Oak Park Police Department Detective Allan Reddins shocked the Oak Park community last fall.
Reddins was killed in downtown Oak Park while responding to reports of an armed person at an Oak Park bank the morning of Nov. 29, 2024. Investigators believe that a Chicago man Jerell Thomas, 37, was responsible for the detective’s murder.
Thomas now faces 56 total felony charges including first-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted murder in connection with the killing as Cook County prosecutors seek life-imprisonment for him.
Thomas had reportedly stolen the gun from a family member a few days earlier.
Reddins was the first Oak Park police officer to die in the line of duty since 1938.
Thomas received a court-ordered psychological evaluation a little over one month after his arrest. Past mental health treatment records for Thomas were also subpoenaed as part of the case, according to Cook County court records.
Oak Park officials described Thomas at the time of his arrest as “a habitual criminal.”
He was convicted of two counts of aggravated battery against two Chicago police officers in connection with a 2019 incident. He was let out under supervised release after he plead guilty in 2022, given credit for 957 days served in county custody.
He’d also been arrested in connection with several violent domestic incidents, including one in Oak Park in 2007.
Thomas will appear before Judge Timothy Joseph Joyce on May 6 for a status conference at the Cook County Criminal Division Court Building in Chicago.
Lisa Wolfe
Police arrested Lisa Wolfe, a 65-year-old Oak Park woman, on charges of attempted murder, domestic battery and aggravated battery on October 25, 2024 in connection with an incident that occurred roughly a month earlier, according to Oak Park police.
On Sept. 23, 2024, Wolfe reportedly called 911 and said that she’d been attacked in her apartment and that “someone had been stabbed.” When Oak Park police arrived on the scene, Wolfe allegedly confessed to stabbing the victim with a kitchen knife, according to police reports included in her Cook County case file.
As the victim was being taken out on a stretcher, Wolfe reportedly yelled “I hope you die,” according to the police report.
The victim had previously been charged with domestic battery against Wolfe on multiple occasions, but each of those charges were dropped shortly after the cases were filed, according to Cook County records.
Wolfe is out on supervised release and will next appear before Judge Eulalia “Evie” De La Rosa at the Maywood Courthouse on April 30.
Andres Adan
Andres Adan of south suburban Harvey is facing three counts of attempted murder and several additional weapons and fleeing charges for allegedly shooting at a River Forest police officer after leading law enforcement from four agencies on a chase through the western suburbs.
Riverside police reported they pulled Adan over for a traffic offense and noticed that he had a gun before Adan sped away.
According to authorities, a Forest Park police officer saw the car and attempted to make a traffic stop near Des Plaines Avenue and Madison Street but he continued to flee, now leading officers from Riverside, Forest Park, River Forest and Oak Pak in the chase. Adan eventually crashed into a building at 344 Lathrop Ave. at about 3:07 a.m. He took shelter inside the building, according to authorities.
Adan allegedly fired a handgun at a River Forest police officer from inside the building, before surrendering, according to authorities.
He will appear before Judge John W. Wilson May 19.
Manuel Martinez-Mendoza
Manuel Martinez-Mendoza, 30, was arrested June 23, 2024 by Oak Park police for allegedly stabbing another man in the neck.
He currently faces two aggravated battery charges and one attempted murder charge, according to Cook County records.
He will appear before Judge De La Rosa for a status hearing at the Maywood Courthouse April 21.