Fatal stabbing Saturday night at Western and Armitage

A verbal altercation turned deadly at 5:40 p.m., Sat., Jan. 21 when L. Caballero, 21-year-old male, received multiple stab wounds to the neck at Western and Armitage Avenues.

Caballero was the passenger in his girlfriend's car, which was east bound on Armitage, when a war of words turned to a physical battle. According to Chicago Police Department's John Mirabelli, the offender fled the scene but a person of interest is in custody. "The offender and the victim may have had prior interaction," Mirabelli added.

The person of interest is reported to be the infamous graffiti tagger named "Wicked," according to Our Urban Times' neighborhood source Steve Jensen. A member of the VTC graffiti crew, Kristopher Klimala (a.ka. "Wicked") and the rest of the VTC crew are well known in Chicago's near northwest side neighborhoods of Wicker Park, Bucktown, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square and Humboldt Park. Jensen also indicated that it is believed that Caballero was a tagger.

The victim was driven to the Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center by his girlfriend. He was transferred by the Chicago Fire Department to Cook County's Stroger Hospital. According to the Medical Examiners office, Caballero, pronounced dead at 7:01 p.m., lived in the 2600 block of West Armitage.

Anyone with information about the stabbing should call Grand Central Area detectives at 312.746.8282.

Other Sources: Chicago Tribune, Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Assn. , Logan Square , Pipeline

Photo courtesy of Steve Jensen