Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– A Park Forest man has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the shooting death of his fiancée, 33-year-old Belissa Gourdine.
On Friday, June 20, 2008, Trolus Pickett, age 43, of 329 Nokomis, Park Forest, was charged by the Cook County States Attorney’s Office with first degree murder in Markham 6th District Court. Belissa Gourdine was shot multiple times at home Wednesday evening. She later died at St James Hospital in Olympia Fields.
According to a press release issued Thursday afternoon, on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, at 6:54 p.m., Park Forest Police Department Patrol Officers responded to multiple 911 calls of “shots fired” from the single family residence at 329 Nokomis.
Officers arrived to find a male subject, later identified as Trolus Pickett, age 43, in the living room wearing blood soaked clothing, police said. Pickett was ordered to exit the home and was taken into custody, according to police.
A 45 caliber semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the living room floor. Officers continued securing the residence and found Gourdine in the southwest bedroom suffering from multiple gunshots. Gourdine, who was conscious at the time, made statements identifying Pickett as the person who shot her, according to police. Park Forest Fire Department Paramedics provided emergency medical attention and transported Gourdine to St James Hospital in Olympia Fields.
Emergency room staff attended to the victim. However, she was pronounced dead at 7:55 p.m.
Trolus Pickett was treated for lacerations to his right hand and released from St James Hospital into police custody at 10:00 p.m. that same night.
Park Forest Police Detectives attended a post mortem examination of Gourdine conducted by the Cook County Medical Examiners Office on June 19, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. The cause of death was determined to be multiple gun shot wounds.
Related: 33-Year-Old Park Forest Woman Dies from Fatal Gunshot Wounds
