Man sentenced 60 years for home invasions, shooting in west suburbs

A man charged with breaking into two homes in Wheaton and Lombard and shooting a homeowner in 2020 has been sentenced to 60 years in prison, prosecutors said Monday.

Malik Pitts, 25, of Broadview, pled guilty last year to one count of attempted murder, one count of home invasion and one count of attempted child pornography, according to a news release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Pitt’s co-defendant, Isaiah Johnson, 24, of Blue Island, is scheduled for a sentencing hearing March 29.

At around 5 a.m. Aug. 23, 2020, Pitts and Johnson broke into a home at 1710 East Evergreen St. in Wheaton. The homeowners had heard noises outside and exited the house with the back door unlocked. Johnson then pointed a handgun at the residents as Pitts entered through the unlocked door, officials said.

Pitts entered a bedroom inside the home where two young girls and their grandmother were sleeping. He “attempted to pull down the blanket and shorts and underwear of one of the girls,” prosecutors said.

When the grandmother awoke, Pitts struck her left cheek, ear and neck. The girls’ father then entered the room and fought with him. Pitts and Johnson then fled in a stolen vehicle.

At around 5:22 a.m. that same morning, Lombard police responded to a call for a home invasion and shooting at 433 S. Highland Ave. A male homeowner had awoken to Pitts and Johnson in his living room. Johnson pointed a gun at man, asking, “Where’s the money?,” prosecutors said.

Pitts then went into an upstairs bedroom where a mother and daughter were sleeping. He ordered them downstairs and told the daughter to remove her clothing. When she refused, a physical struggle ensued between Pitts and her father, which went into the backyard.

During the altercation, Johnson fired multiple gunshots, striking the father in the chest and the family car. The bullet went through the father and also struck Pitts.

Pitts and Johnson fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. The car was driven by Keytori Jackson, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for her role in the invasions.

Pitts received a sentence of 35 years for the attempted murder, a consecutive sentence of 25 years for the home invasion and a concurrent 12-year sentence for attempted child pornography. He will be eligible for parole after serving 41.5 years, according to prosecutors.

“We all deserve to feel safe and secure in our homes and the shockingly violent behavior shown by these two men demonstrates their complete disregard for our laws and for human life,”  DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.  “Their actions have shattered that sense of safety.”