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Will County Sheriff: Amaya's gun, bullets match Lowell, Beecher shootings
By Times Staff | Posted: Thursday, December 16, 2010 2:43 pm
JOLIET, Ill. | The weapon used by Gary Amaya in a Saturday armed robbery at an Orland Park, Ill. tanning salon is the one used in the bistate shootings in Beecher, Ill. and Lowell in October, Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas said Thursday.
During a news conference at the Will County Sheriff's Department Thursday, Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez said farmer Keith Dahl, who was shot Oct. 5 near Lowell, "unequivocally identified" Amaya as the shooter.
Ken Kaupas, spokesman for the Will County Sheriff's Department, said Dahl's wife saw Amaya's picture on television and asked if he wanted to see it. After downloading the photo on his computer, Dahl took a ruler and covered Amaya's forehead, as if he were wearing a hat.
The shooter was described by Dahl and other witnesses as wearing a baseball cap at the time of the shootings.
According to Ken Kaupas, Dahl said, "That's the man who shot me." before calling Lake County sheriff's detectives.
Still, Paul Kaupas declined to positively identify Amaya as the shooter, saying they are still waiting on some forensic evidence.
Two men were shot -- one fatally -- in Washington Township near Beecher. Oct. 5 while working on a home for Rich Construction out of Dyer. Police say the gunman then drove to Lowell, where he shot Dahl.
Police initially charged a Lynwood police officer with the crime but soon dropped the charges after computer evidence showed he was home when the shootings occurred.
Amaya was shot and killed Dec. 11 while attempting to rob an L.A. Tan salon in Orland Park. Jason McDaniel, a customer who walked in on the attempted armed robbery, shot and killed Amaya with his own gun.
Dominguez said it could be up to two weeks before the results of the forensic evidence come back from the lab. Paul Kaupas declined to say what forensic evidence investigators are waiting on to positively identify Amaya as the bistate shooter.
Police confiscated weapons, ammunition and some clothing from Amaya's home in Rankin, Ill. after executing a search warrant there on Monday, Paul Kaupas said. Paul Kaupas said no motive has been discovered during the course of the investigation.
Paul Kaupas said he has not approached the man who ran into a corn field during the Oct. 5 shooting near Beecher to ask him to positively identify Amaya.
Paul Kaupas said Amaya has no criminal record and his only contact with police was a traffic citation.
Both sheriffs said Amaya was not under investigation prior to Saturday's botched robbery attempt.
"This guy was on no one's radar,"' spokesman Ken Kaupas said of Amaya after the press conference.
Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy said it is not clear why Amaya chose to rob that tanning salon.
The news conference ended abruptly at 2:25 p.m. with officials saying they had other commitments.
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