CINCINNATI — Bairon Chaj’s friends and family say they will never forget what happened on the night of July 20.
They say the 19-year-old was waiting for his order at a food truck at around 9 p.m. in the crowded parking lot at the Hartwell Recreation Center after playing in a soccer league.
Despite hundreds of people around, they say a robbery turned deadly. Chaj’s cousin Nestor said Chaj was approached by a man who demanded money. The confrontation ended with Chaj shot and killed.
For more than three months, no arrests were made in the case. Nestor said there was deep fear about the killer's whereabouts.
“I don’t take my daughter over there because, you know, I don’t feel safe,” Nestor said. “It’s crazy how that happens [over] there.”
On Thursday, Erik Evans, 19, was arrested and charged with one count of murder. He appeared in front of Judge Janaya Trotter Bratton on Friday morning.
Evans’ defense attorney said he was a lifelong resident of the area with a son and a landscaping job. The attorney requested the Judge grant a “reasonable” bond.
On the other hand, prosecutors said Evans’ adult criminal record, an obstruction charge from last month, was indicative of his status as a flight risk.
“This is a heavily populated area,” the prosecution said. “The state would argue that firing multiple rounds in that area also poses a risk to the public.”
The prosecutor asked for a “substantial” bond.
In the end, Bratton set Evans’ bond at $1 million. Hamilton County Justice Center records show that he remains in custody as of Friday afternoon.
For the family and friends of Chaj, the arrest brings a sense of relief, but not a sense of closure.
“(He's) just gone, and that’s forever,” Nestor said. “Young guy, you know, doing stuff right. Hard worker … This is a hard day for me because they bring me to my hard times.”
Chaj's co-worker Ashton Nagler started a GoFundMe campaign to help ease the family’s cost to bring him to his final resting place: Guatemala.
The total price tag is roughly $15,000-20,000. To make matters worse, the mother-in-law of the person handling arrangements passed shortly after Chaj.
“The GoFundMe was created to try to get some relief for their families,” Nagler said. “All these circumstances, obviously, on any family can be really difficult, but they're a very tight-knit family.”
Chaj was killed a few days shy of his 20th birthday, exacerbating the tragedy. They say he worked hard, avoided drugs and played soccer in his free time.
“He was doing everything right,” Nagler said. “I remember him always, you know, having a smile on his face, always happy to do anything asked.”
Chaj had been in the United States for about two years, Nestor said: “I want to imagine him working with us, you know, doing jogs … I can’t stop thinking about him.”
You can donate to the Chaj family GoFundMe by clicking here.
