Prosecutors Secure 65-Year Sentence in 2012 Attempted Murder Case
A man convicted in a 2012 shooting outside a West Side tire shop has been sentenced to 65 years in prison, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Jeffrey Grafton, 34, of Des Plaines, was previously convicted in a bench trial on charges of Attempted First Degree Murder and an Armed Habitual Criminal charge in connection with the September 2012 incident in which he shot the victim several times and also beat him with the gun.
According to prosecutors, the victim and another individual were outside a tire shop trying to fix the victim’s car. When the individual went inside the shop, Grafton, who was also outside the shop, pulled out a gun with a silencer and began shooting at the victim. The victim ran into the street to get away from Grafton, who was still shooting. When Grafton ran out of bullets, he then hit the victim in the head with the gun.
At the time of the incident, a Chicago Police squad car was driving nearby and officers heard the muffled shots and saw Grafton beating the victim with the gun. When Grafton saw the marked squad car, he dropped the gun and fled on foot. Grafton was found hiding under a car a short time later and taken into custody.  The victim sustained five gunshot wounds and required multiple surgeries. Grafton had prior felony convictions including Armed Robbery and Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
Grafton was sentenced by Judge Mauricio Araujo to 45 years for the Attempted First Degree Murder and 20 years for the Armed Habitual Criminal charge, to run consecutive, for a total of 65 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorney’s Kelly Grekstas and Joell Zahr as well as the Chicago Police Department for their work on this case.
