Grandfather Charged in Stabbing Death of Man in Englewood Home

A file photo shows a crime scene blocked off by the Chicago Police Department. (WTTW News)A file photo shows a crime scene blocked off by the Chicago Police Department. (WTTW News)

A Chicago grandfather allegedly stabbed a 32-year-old man to death on Mother’s Day inside an Englewood home just hours after police responded to a domestic disturbance at the same address.

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Anthony Moody, 55, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder stemming from the Sunday death of Robert Webster, and was ordered held on $200,000 bail during a hearing Tuesday afternoon. That means he must pay $20,000 to get out of jail.

The stabbing occurred at around 9:20 a.m. Sunday inside a home in the 5600 block of South Peoria Street, according to Cook County prosecutor James Murphy, who said Webster was dating a woman who lives there, while Moody is the grandfather to two of that woman’s children.

Chicago police responded to the home earlier that morning following a report that Webster had been “tearing up the home.” He had a history of domestic incidents with the woman, Murphy said, and body camera footage from an officer on scene showed Webster threatening to put Moody and the woman “in the hospital.”

When Webster returned to the home later that morning, Moody allegedly armed himself with a knife. The woman did not let Webster inside, and Moody told her if she had, he would have killed Webster, according to Murphy.

But Webster and the woman reconciled shortly after, and he came back to the home with his young children, who began playing inside. Moody, who was sitting in his bedroom, complained about the noise and Webster replied that Moody could leave if he didn’t like it.

According to Murphy, as Webster turned to leave the bedroom, Moody jumped from his chair and stabbed Webster once in the left side of his neck with a knife. Police were called and officers found Webster with a large stab wound that was “bleeding uncontrollably.” He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

After the stabbing, Moody allegedly fled from the home with the knife and ran to a nearby gas station where he told a cashier to call 911. A tow truck driver there saw Moody — who wasn’t wearing a shirt or shoes — and began recording him with his phone.

According to Murphy, Moody on that recording claimed Webster had sucker punched him before the stabbing, though Moody apparently had no visible injuries. Moody then allegedly reenacted the stabbing, saying “boom boom” as he made stabbing motions with the knife.

Moody was arrested at the gas station, Murphy said, and the knife was recovered in a garbage can nearby. Following his arrest, Moody allegedly made claims that he had acted in self-defense, but he never stated that Webster was carrying any type of weapon.

This isn’t the first time Moody has faced a murder charge. He reportedly confessed to strangling a girlfriend in 1997. But he eventually pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated battery after investigators found DNA on the woman’s body from a second man who may have been involved in her death. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

On the latest charge, Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr. found the possible presence of a “legitimate defense” to be a mitigating factor in Moody’s favor. He noted that there “may be some semblance of self-defense” in the allegations, but added that that’s for “some jury or judge to work out down the road.”

Moody is due back in court for a hearing May 27.

Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson[email protected] | (773) 509-5431


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