Do you think it was a Robbery??
Hog
Two found murdered
Well-known barber, fiancee mourned by neighbors
By JAYETTE BOLINSKI
STAFF WRITER
A well-known Springfield barber and his fiancee were found shot to death in their home Wednesday morning, the victims of what police believe to be robbery and murder.
The news left many in the close-knit east-side community reeling.
The bodies of Barron R. "Mr. Fresh" Rice, 34, and LaKisha M. Criss, 27, were discovered inside their ranch-style home at 2616 E. Lawrence St.
Each victim had one gunshot wound to the head and one to the torso, according to Springfield police Lt. Rickey Davis. He said he did not know what type of firearm had been used but that it appeared to be the same weapon in both instances.
The Sangamon County coroner's office said it would be releasing no information on the case Wednesday.
"He was a nice guy, and if anybody wanted some money, they could have just asked for it because he would have given it to them. They didn't have to kill him," said Armiece Wallace, a cousin of Rice.
"He didn't run the streets. He wasn't in a gang. He always told kids, 'Make money, don't be a statistic.' That's what makes this so hard."
A family member arrived at the house about 10:15 a.m. to check on the two after Rice did not show up for work and no one answered the telephone at the residence. The house was locked up and several cars were there, so the relative flagged down a Springfield police officer on patrol and asked him to check on the couple.
Officers entered the home and found the bodies but had to leave the house and wait outside until a search warrant could be issued.
A detective showed up with a warrant shortly after 1 p.m.
Police and major-case investigators spent much of Wednesday at the home, gathering evidence and speaking with family members.
Detectives have several leads, but police declined to say whether surveillance cameras on the outside of the house that were clearly visible from the street had provided them with any information.
"We're looking at all of the evidence, and we are aware of the reports by the crowd of the possibility of surveillance equipment," said police Lt. Doug Williamson.
A family member said there also were cameras throughout the interior of the home.
Asked why, she responded, "Why do you think?"
Davis said the security cameras at both the front and back of the house are hooked up to a monitor inside to provide a live feed. Such video surveillance is common for home security, Davis said. He also noted that there was a recording studio in the basement.
Rice had an interest in rap music and produced records.
Williamson declined to elaborate on why investigators believe robbery is a motive in the murders, other than to say, "The crime-scene investigators looked at several clues left behind by the suspects, and the clues would point to robbery as a motive."
Rice and Criss both were hairstylists and worked together at Rice's Mr. Fresh Barber Shop at 1503 E. Ash St., according to friends and family. The couple was popular, as evidenced by the large crowd that gathered at the scene and shared memories of the two.
Ashanti Beler said she first met Criss when Criss moved to Springfield from Louisiana in the eighth grade. The two went to Washington Middle School, and Criss later graduated from Lanphier High School in 1997 before going on to cosmetology school.
"She was very outgoing, very close to her family. She didn't have any kids, and she was always there for her brothers and sisters. She was real humble," Beler said.
"Fresh was real business-oriented. He was real fun and always cordial. He was always very family-oriented, and he did a lot with his nieces and nephews and little cousins. He's done a lot for the community."
Beler said the two had a positive impact on the community and the youth they encountered. She said Rice, who opened his barbershop in 1992, paid for some kids to go to barber school, and at one point opened a teen gathering spot called "The Bomb."
"They were a good, positive black couple who gave back to the community," she said.
Rice did have some legal troubles, however, according to Sangamon County court records. In September 2002, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl at her home and was arrested on charges of criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
His defense attorney, Rudy Braud, said Wednesday that Rice was scheduled to appear in court for a plea and sentencing hearing next Tuesday. He had negotiated a plea agreement with the state's attorney's office and could have been sentenced to anything from probation to prison time.
Braud, who went to the crime scene twice Wednesday, said he has a stack of letters from friends, clergy and police officers who knew Rice and supported him.
"It's a shame. He was definitely someone for the community to look up to in my book, especially the youth of the community who could look up to him and could see what a successful businessman could accomplish," he said.
The house is at the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Christmas Seal Drive, a block south of Cook Street. The right eastbound lane of Cook was blocked off much of the morning and afternoon. Onlookers gathered on both sides of Cook, as well as on Lawrence and Christmas Seal. Police strung crime-scene tape around much of the area surrounding the house.
The house is behind the home of Ward 3 Ald. Frank Kunz, who stood outside with his dog and watched the commotion Wednesday afternoon.
He said his dog roams his fenced-in yard and never barked a single time overnight or gave any indication that someone was lurking around.
About 1:30 p.m., those who had gathered in the area were urged to join family members and the Rev. Samuel Hale in prayer. In addition to providing an outlet for their grief, the moment of prayer helped take onlookers' focus away from the crime scene.
"Rev. Hale showed up and helped calm the crowd and put things in perspective. I couldn't tell you how many times when people got agitated, someone would remind them the police are doing their jobs, they've got something important going on here, don't get into a disturbance," Williamson said.
He added that people have been very cooperative with police as far as wanting to help solve the crime.
"It's unusual the amount of cooperation of people who were coming up to uniformed police officers at the scene trying to help solve the crime. A lot of times police have to use other means to get information - that's anywhere in the community that a murder happens," he said. "The popularity of these two seems to have overcome some of the people's fear of being involved with the police."
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Springfield Police Department at 788-8311 or Crime Stoppers at 788-8427. Calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous, and tipsters can be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
Friends and family of Rice and Criss were discussing offering an additional reward Wednesday, but details about that were still being worked out.
"They didn't bother nobody. That's why this is so shocking," Armiece Wallace said.
A woman who has gone for years to get her hair cut by Rice said she was stunned by the news of the murder.
"I just got my hair cut last week. I don't know who's going to do my hair now," she said.
