Blue Island man charged in murders of three young women

A Blue Island man was charged with the murders of three young women over the course of one year’s time between 2009 and 2010 and police and prosecutors believe the man may be a serial offender and are seeking the public’s help in providing information on other potential victims, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez and law enforcement officials announced.

Bond was denied for Sonny Pierce, 27, who was charged with three ounts of First Degree Murder in the deaths of Kiara Windom, 18, of Harvey, and Kimika Coleman, 18, of Chicago, and a third victim. Windom and Coleman were both strangled to death and their bodies were discovered dumped in alleys in Chicago and Blue Island approximately three weeks apart in August of 2009.

In recent weeks evidence has been developed showing that Pierce killed a third victim in July of 2010 and he was also charged with the murder of Mariah Edwards, 17, also of Blue Island. In a gruesome discovery, police investigating the murder cases recovered a videotape made by Pierce that pictures him engaged in violent sexual relations with Edwards, who appears to be lifeless and possibly deceased at the time the video was taken on July 3, 2010. Edwards’ body has not been recovered by law enforcement but she was reported missing and has not been seen alive since July of 2010.

Members of the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force, the Blue Island Police Department and the State’s Attorney’s Cold Case Unit have been conducting a coordinated investigation of the murders. As a result of their efforts, police were able to link contact between Pierce and the victims through telephone records and other information developed during the course of the investigation. Pierce has also been linked to the murders of Windom and Coleman by DNA evidence recovered from the bodies of the women.

According to investigators, Pierce met victims Windom and Coleman on a telephone dating chat line or “party line” where he arranged meeting with them. It is believed that he lured the women to his Blue Island residence and had sexual relations with them before strangling them and dumping their bodies.