An Englewood man accused of targeting homeless men in three brutal knife attacks over the summer is now facing a murder charge after authorities said they were able to tie him to a fatal stabbing in Grant Park through DNA evidence.
Bryant McCalip was charged earlier this week with 58-year-old Aaron Curry’s murder.
Curry’s body was found July 9 on the grass in the 1100 block of South Michigan Avenue with a broken knife in his right shoulder and multiple stab wounds to his neck and abdomen, police said.
The knife’s handle was lying next to Curry and evidence found on it matched 28-year-old McCalip’s DNA, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.
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Cellphone and public transit records also placed McCalip blocks from where Curry’s body was discovered in the timeframe authorities believe the murder occurred. And after searching McCalip’s South Side home, police found two knives with the same gray and black handle like the weapon by Curry’s body had, prosecutors said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office determined Curry died from the multiple stab wounds that he suffered sometime between July 7-9.
McCalip has been in custody at Cook County Jail since he was arrested on Aug. 20 and charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery for three separate attacks that prosecutors said were connected by “by evidence of a common scheme, proximity, motive, identity and opportunity.”
McCalip watched those victims as they slept “like they were prey” before stabbing them multiple times, prosecutors said.
Those victims survived.
Though video surveillance footage allegedly showed McCalip committing other attacks, prosecutors said no cameras recorded Curry’s murder.
Judge Mary Marubio ordered McCalip held without bail Wednesday.
He is expected back in court Oct. 8.
