Mom Tracked Down Man Accused Of Killing Her Teenage Son

A grieving Illinois mother looked for her 17-year-old son's killer as police investigated the October 2021 murder.

After speaking to neighbors, Leslie Bell learned who was last seen with her son, Isaiah Davis, before the teen was fatally shot in south suburban Burnham, Illinois, on Oct. 28 last year. She then tracked down and came face-to-face with 34-year-old Faheem Norwood, who is now accused of killing Davis, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

“I knew that it was him who hurt my son, who actually killed my son,” the mother said at a news conference Friday morning. “It was his interaction with me. He couldn’t give me eye contact, so that was it for me.”

Norwood was arrested on Dec. 31, 2021, and charged with first-degree murder in the teen's death, according to Cook County prosecutors and Harvey police. He appeared in court on Jan. 1 and was ordered held without bail.

Norwood shot Davis and then tried to cover up the murder by setting the 17-year-old’s body on fire, prosecutors alleged.

According to prosecutors, the two were in a Burnham home when Norwood pointed a gun at the teen and asked, “Would you take one for your boys?” No shot was fired the first time Norwood pulled the trigger, but the gun went off during the second time, prosecutors said.

An attorney for the accused said that her client did not intend to shoot the boy and that they were part of a group playing “Russian roulette.”

Norwood allegedly moved the boy’s body to an abandoned apartment in Riverdale, then to an alley in Harvey where it was discovered after being set on fire, according to prosecutors.

At the time of Davis' death, Norwood was on parole for a charge related to the robbery and murders of Donysha Stovall, 28, Shaquill Davis, 16, Clarisma Torry, 10, and the attempted murder of a 4-year-old on Oct. 24, 2010. He was found not guilty of murder but was imprisoned on other related charges.

Police credited Bell, her family and the community for aiding them in the investigation that led to Norwood's arrest, NBC Chicago reported.

“I thank the family of Isaiah Davis, his mother and her sisters for working with us to help bring this dangerous man to justice,” Harvey Police Deputy Chief Cameron Biddings said. “The arrest of Faheem Norwood was possible because the community worked with us.”

Bell, for her part, said she was relieved that her son's alleged killer is now in police custody and will not be able to hurt anyone else.

The mother said Norwood should have never been allowed to walk out of prison, given his criminal history. “He should have never been able to walk the streets ever, after all of that,” Bell said. “My son would still be alive.”