DeKalb man pleads guilty to murder, gets 30 years for 2020 drive-by shooting

DeKALB – A DeKalb man recently pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a 32-year-old DeKalb father in July 2020 and was sentenced by a DeKalb County judge to 30 years in prison for the murder.

Wayne Q. Slater, 30, of DeKalb, will have to serve his full sentence under Illinois law, according to a June 16 news release from the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office. Slater will get credit for three years of time served in DeKalb County Jail where he’s been held without bail since his June 12, 2020 arrest, however.

During a June 16 plea hearing in front of Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick, prosecutors argued that Slater fatally shot 32-year-old Johnny Black-Haygood, of DeKalb shortly before 8 p.m. July 12, 2020, according to DeKalb County court records.

Slater pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in front of Buick who in exchange sentenced him to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, DeKalb County court records show. He had originally denied the allegations days after his arrest in DeKalb County court.

“Johnny Black-Haygood was the father of a teenage boy, an uncle, a brother and son. His child will grow up without the love that only a father can provide. His family will miss him forever,” said DeKalb County State’s Attorney Rick Amato in a statement. “I hope this sentence offers a sense of peace and justice to Johnny’s family, who will forever struggle to understand this senseless and violent crime. Mr. Slater is going where he belongs, to a place where he can no longer threaten peaceful people, and the city of DeKalb will be safer as a result.”

Black-Haygood died from his gunshot wounds at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, prosecutors said.

Slater was 27 at the time of the shooting.

I hope this sentence offers a sense of peace and justice to Johnny’s family, who will forever struggle to understand this senseless and violent crime. Mr. Slater is going where he belongs, to a place where he can no longer threaten peaceful people, and the city of DeKalb will be safer as a result.”

—  Rick Amato, DeKalb County State's Attorney

DeKalb police and the DeKalb County Major Crimes Task Force assisted in the investigation. Prosecution was lead by Assistant State’s Attorney Suzanne Collins.

Collins argued that Slater was a passenger in a 2006 Dodge Caravan that another was driving in the 1000 block of Hillcrest Drive the evening of July 21 looking for Black-Haygood. Prosecutors said Slater was allegedly mad at Black-Haygood, believing Black-Haygood to have stolen a handgun from him.

When Slater saw Black-Haygood, the van turned around, drove up beside the victim, a side door opened and Slater fired multiple gunshots at Black-Haygood, killing him, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the now-demolished Hillcrest Shopping mall. Surveillance footage collected by DeKalb police from the business area showed the Dodge Caravan and a man matching Slater’s description on the area prior to the shooting, according to court records.