A 49-year-old Aurora man was denied pre-trial release Friday after being charged with the murder of a man in a Wheaton bar that morning.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announced that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s Motion to deny pre-trial release for the man, who has been charged with one count of First-Degree Murder.
At approximately 8:40am Friday, DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call of shots fired at Rosie O’Reilly’s, 0N131 Gary Avenue. Upon their arrival, officers found the victim, Dexter Perkins, deceased at the scene.
It is alleged that a dispute arose over pizza and the bar tab between Perkins, the accused and two other men. A brief scuffle ensued on the outside front porch of the bar between Perkins and one of the other men which ultimately resulted in the accused pulling out a 9mm Glock handgun from his jacket pocket and firing two warning shots into the air. Perkins then approached the other man at which time the accused, who was standing on the other side of a wooden railing, fired at him, striking him in the torso and in the face. After the shooting, the accused placed the Glock, which had been fired a total of eleven times, in the center console of his truck where it was ultimately found by law enforcement. The accused was taken into custody from Rosie O’Reilly’s without incident.
The investigation found that Perkins did not know the accused or any of the other men involved in the incident.
“Yesterday morning, Dexter Perkins lost his life allegedly over a dispute regarding pizza and a bar tab,” Berlin said. “For this senseless act of violence that resulted in the death of an innocent man, [the accused] now finds himself facing first degree murder charges. I offer my sincere condolences to Dexter’s family and friends and wish them strength as they are now forced to continue their lives without the love and friendship they enjoyed with Dexter.”
The accused’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 18, 2024, for arraignment in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.
