A 19-year-old Chicago man was sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to shooting a man during a confrontation in a Champaign apartment last year, closing out a case that began with a jealous setup and ended with a victim fighting for his life. Fred Fairfax pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony, and will have to serve 85% of that sentence.
Guilty Plea Ends Case, Two Charges Dropped
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dismissed a charge of attempted murder along with an armed robbery count, according to wcia.com. Fairfax will receive credit for the 373 days he already spent in custody awaiting the outcome of the case, the station reported.
The shooting happened on March 25, 2025, when Champaign police responded to a report of gunfire near JT Coffman Drive and Neil Street and found a victim with a gunshot wound to the torso, per the same report. Investigators later pieced together how the victim ended up there in the first place, and why.
Jealousy, a Staged Invitation and a Shot in the Side
Assistant State’s Attorney Troy Lozar described the shooting as the result of the victim being set up after a disagreement with a woman, the station's report notes. According to an earlier account from The News-Gazette, investigators said Fairfax had his girlfriend invite the victim over to a Champaign apartment because he was jealous of a relationship between the two of them.
Once there, Fairfax allegedly shot the victim in the side, then stole the victim's two phones and car keys before telling him to leave, the outlet reported. The victim managed to leave the apartment and sought assistance immediately after the shooting, according to the same account. The gunshot had collapsed his lung, passed through his liver and exited through his upper chest — but he survived, The News-Gazette reported.
Investigation Led to an Arrest
Investigators interviewed witnesses, reviewed surveillance video and analyzed cell phone data to identify Fairfax as the shooter, per the WCIA report. Fairfax later turned himself in after learning there was a warrant for his arrest.
