Dupage Policy Journal

Bond has been set at $1 million for a Naperville man charged in the killing of a 41-year-old apartment building maintenance worker.

Xavier Caffey, 30, faces two counts of first-degree murder in a case which DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres are still trying to understand what happened.

“The allegations that Mr. Caffey, who was completely unprovoked, approached an innocent, unsuspecting man, put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger twice, killing him execution-style, are very disturbing,” Berlin said in a press release. “I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Churchill as they attempt to come to terms with this senseless tragedy.”

According to investigators, on the morning of Feb. 4, Caffey walked into a garage at the 960 Fairway Drive apartment complex where Jeffery Churchill worked and held him and another man at gunpoint before firing a shot that struck Churchill in the head. Later that afternoon, Caffey surrendered to authorities at his home following an hours-long standoff with the Naperville Police Department Crisis Negotiation Team.

“I commend the Naperville Police Department, particularly the Crisis Negotiation Team for their outstanding work in bringing the suspect in custody without any further violence,” Berlin said. “I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Helen Kapas, Lynn Cavallo and Denis Cahil for their efforts in preparing a strong case against Mr. Caffey.”

Arres thanked law enforcement for the quick response, which he hopes sends a clear message.

“Naperville has a strong foundation as a safe community, and this type of crime can be extremely jarring to that sense of safety,” he said. “Violence of any kind will not be tolerated by this department, and we will continue our efforts to combat gun violence at every turn,” said Arres. “The collaboration and hard work our Investigations Division and the DuPage County State’s Attorney that lead to charges must be recognized. I would also like to thank the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for committing resources and personnel, which contributed to the peaceful apprehension of the suspect.”

Caffey is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 28 in the courtroom of Judge John Kinsella. If found guilty, Caffey faces a penalty of 45 years-to-life in prison.