A Cook County judge ordered a man detained after prosecutors alleged he brutally killed a woman with a hammer earlier this month, according to court records.
Deandre Bell, 24, is charged with first-degree murder and possession of a stolen vehicle in the beating death of Davonta Curtis, 31, around April 5. He was ordered held pending the charges at a detention hearing on Saturday.
Bell had been dating Curtis on and off, prosecutors said. Curtis’ family last saw her on April 5 when she had Bell drop off supplies for Easter at her sister’s house, according to Cook County prosecutors.
Around 1 a.m. on April 6, surveillance video captured Curtis leaving her apartment in the 3100 block of West Madison Street alone, prosecutors said.
When her family didn’t hear from her, prosecutors said, they went to her apartment on April 8 and found her body naked, partially covered by a sheet and surrounded by a large pool of blood. They also determined that her car and keys were missing.
Chicago police put out a bulletin for the car and found Bell driving it, prosecutors said.
Upon questioning, Bell admitted to hitting Curtis multiple times with a hammer. Police also found a hammer and screwdriver with blood in Bell’s backpack.
Detectives also searched Bell’s phone, and found online searches called: “how to kill someone with a hammer?” and “if a person gets hit in the head with a hammer while sleeping what happens.”
Prosecutors did not reveal a possible motive for the slaying.
Bell is scheduled to appear in court again on April 29.
