A North Lawndale man is accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and setting her house on fire last year in West Englewood.
Shortly after Racquel Adams, 32, broke off her relationship with Joshua Mims, 37, and told him to move out of her home, Mims allegedly threatened to break all of her TVs and later argued with her while he was moving out of her home May 12, 2023, according to Cook County prosecutors.
Surveillance video showed Mims leaving Adams’ home in the 6400 block of South Damen Avenue around 10 p.m. and returning shortly after midnight. He was seen leaving the house within 10 minutes, prosecutors said.
Officers on patrol around 12:40 a.m. noticed Adams’ home on fire. They entered the house and found Adams’ body partially on fire lying in a pool of blood, prosecutors said.
She suffered a gunshot wound to the back of her head and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. A shell casing was found at the scene, prosecutors said.
Chicago Fire Department officials determined the fire was caused by open flame ignition in four “separate and distinct” areas of the house, prosecutors said.
Mims was arrested Tuesday by Chicago police officers and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the 900 block of South Kedzie Avenue. He is charged with one count each of first-degree murder and aggravated arson.
A judge ordered him detained during his first court appearance Thursday. His next court date is Dec. 3.