Two men convicted in gang shooting that killed 10-year-old girl

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Nequiel Fowler

Updated: January 18, 2012 3:00AM

Two men were convicted Tuesday in the gang-related shooting that claimed the life of 10-year-old Nequiel “Nee-Nee” Fowler as she stood on a South Side street with her blind younger sister.

Raymond Jones — described by Cook County prosecutors as the gang banger “wannabe” who stored the weapon used in the 2008 Labor Day crime — was the first to be found guilty of murder.

A few hours later, Antoine Lacy, the Latin Dragon who gave alleged gunman Luis Pena the .380 semiautomatic and encouraged him to aim at rival Latin Kings, was convicted by a separate jury.

The trio’s co-defendant, alleged getaway driver Joseph Chico, 27, also faced murder charges in the little girl’s slaying, but he cut a deal with prosecutors and agreed to testify against the others in exchange for a 14-year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit murder.

Pena was told to “go light up some Kings” before he allegedly started shooting in an alley in the 8700 blocks of South Exchange and South Escanaba avenues, according to court testimony.

Nequiel, an unintended target was playing with her 5-year-old sister and other children, when she was gunned down.

Nequiel’s mother said she felt “better” knowing that “justice has been served so far.”

“It won’t bring Nequiel back, but it will relieve some stress for me,” Linda Williams said of the guilty verdicts.

Jones, 22, and Lacy, 29, both face between 35 and 75 years in prison.

Closing arguments in the trial of Pena, 23, are expected Wednesday.