Second part: According to Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini, DeJuan Pratt faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of unlawful possession of a credit card, aggravated identity theft, identity theft involving $2,000 to $10,000, possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated arson and disorderly conduct for lying to an official.
On Aug. 28, firefighters discovered Pratt’s third-floor apartment engulfed in flames, and the bodies of his roommates still inside; both victims had been stabbed numerous times in the face and neck, and an empty gas container was found in the apartment.
Police determined via a Craigslist ad and subsequent e-mails to the victims that Pratt had lived with them for less than a week before they were murdered.
Pratt told police that he was attacked by three suspects and had a deep cut on his hand — the scheme was blown wide open when police caught Pratt driving his dead roommate’s missing vehicle. Detectives found Pratt’s Facebook page, where he boasted about being in Las Vegas.
Homicide detectives tracked the activity on the victims’ credit cards — used for an airline ticket and to pay expenses at the Venetian — and arrested Pratt on Monday, Sept. 24 at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
Pratt was booked on Sept. 26 and is being held without bond.
