Chicago Man found guilty for a 2018 Elgin double murder

ELGIN – Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced that a Kane County jury found 26-year-old Travaris D. Stevenson, of the 5000 block of West Congress Parkway in Chicago, guilty of the felony offenses of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and armed violence in the April 2018 shooting deaths of Raymond Dyson and Mark McDaniel, both of Elgin.

During the trial, Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Greg Sams, Hillary Sadler, and Hannah Thayer presented evidence placing Stevenson at the scene of the shooting on April 29, 2018, at approximately 2 p.m.

According to the three state’s attorneys, “Stevenson and the co-defendant met Dyson, 29, and McDaniel, 26, in a parking lot in the 1-99 block of Longwood Place, Elgin. Stevenson traveled from Chicago to Elgin to sell a pound of marijuana to the victims.”

Stevenson then proceeded to get into the back seat of a car, while Dyson and McDaniel remained in the front seats. Shortly after entering the vehicle, Stevenson shot Dyson in the back of the head and shot McDaniel twice in the back.

Following the fatal shootings, Stevenson and another suspect fled the scene on foot, taking the marijuana with them.

Elgin police officers caught the men a half-mile from the crime scene about 20 minutes later.

Kane County Circuit Judge David P. Kliment set Stevenson’s next court appearance for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2022, in Courtroom 305 at the Kane County Judicial Center for motions and sentencing.

The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office stated that Stevenson could face a sentence of between 60 years and life imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Stevenson has remained in custody at the Kane County jail, where he has been held since his arrest in lieu of a $5 million bail, said the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. Judge Kilment revoked Stevenson’s bond upon conviction.

“Two young men are dead and a third lost his freedom because of guns, drugs and greed. This verdict, while just, won’t help any of these young men now. My thanks to ASAs (Assistant State’s Attorneys) Sadler and Thayer for their excellent work, and to Elgin police detectives Scott St. John and Chris Hughes for their relentless pursuit of justice in this case,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Sams.

My Huntley News had previously reported on Elgin Chief of Police Ana Lalley in which she had spoken on WRMN 1410 Radio to discuss the growing concern with gun violence in the community.

In light of Stevenson’s conviction, Lalley commented on how pleased she was with the outcome in solving yet another Elgin-area shooting crime.

“I would like to recognize and thank the men and women of the Elgin Police Department who took part in this investigation. The level of professionalism and dedication to duty was evident and ultimately resulted in a guilty verdict,” said Lalley.