Detention hearing delayed for man who allegedly fatally shot 'hardworking' father and son in Little Village

A 35-year-old man who allegedly fatally shot a father and son during an armed robbery of a jewelry store in Little Village last year had two juvenile accomplices, prosecutors said Friday.

Muhammad Thomas, 35, is charged with two counts of murder after the attack of 63-year-old Faustino Alamo and his 25-year-old son, Luis Angel Alamo, inside the Joyeria Angelo shop during the Nov. 8th robbery, officials said.

However, Thomas did not appear in person for his scheduled detention hearing Friday for the alleged killings of the father and son because he was hospitalized at Humboldt Park Health hospital due to a medication issue and narcotics withdrawal, according to prosecutors.

Additionally, Thomas is facing three counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated battery, burglary and armed vehicular hijacking from several separate burglaries and shootings from 2024 and 2023, prosecutors said.

Another detention hearing was scheduled for Tuesday to formally order Thomas detained, according to Cook County Judge James Vincent Murphy who presided Friday.

During the brief hearing Friday, prosecutors said Thomas, allegedly along with two juveniles, arrived at the jewelry store in the 3800 block of West 26th Street on Nov. 8 just before 6 p.m. in a stolen Maserati.

Prosecutors said Thomas was buzzed into the store and used a cellphone to prop open the door before he began breaking into display cases and taking jewelry. The Alamos tried to stop him and followed him outside, according to prosecutors.

But Thomas pulled out a gun and allegedly shot Luis Angel Alamo, according to prosecutors who added Faustino Alamo then fired off shots using his gun, but did not hit Thomas.

One of the juveniles waiting in the Maserati jumped out and allegedly shot Faustino Alamo, prosecutors said.

The bodies of the father and son lay side by side along a curb as traffic continued to drive past, according to surveillance video posted by Telemundo Chicago. Both men were pronounced dead less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Thomas and the two juveniles allegedly fled and police officers later found the Maserati that had been set on fire, according to prosecutors who added Thomas’ DNA and fingerprints were found inside the store and on the burned Maserati.

One of the juveniles was later arrested on an unrelated case and allegedly gave detectives information on the Nov. 8 attack. Prosecutors said the juvenile allegedly identified Thomas as one of the shooters.

Court information and charges for the juveniles was not immediately available.

Thomas was arrested Tuesday in St. Louis by Chicago police and members of the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.