ROCKFORD (WREX) — A 20-year-old Rockford man has been charged with the murder of a 22-year-old at a Rockford park.

Daniel Chavez-Gerde turned himself in to Rockford Police Friday, facing a First Degree Murder charge in the shooting death of 22-year-old Lewis Brown on Aug. 4.

Brown was killed in the shooting in the parking lot of Blackhawk Park in the 100 block of 15th Ave. just before 2 a.m. on the Monday morning. Police say there was an argument going in when shots were fired. Brown was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

Detectives tried multiple times to get into contact with Chavez-Gerde before he turned himself in on Friday. Chavez-Gerde also had an outstanding warrant from an unrelated case.

Chavez-Gerde is being held in the Winnebago County Jail ahead of his first p

See Full Page