
Suspect charged with beating south suburban Chicago man to death has violent record
It also turns out that CBS News Chicago interviewed a victim of Protho's in the past.
Protho, 30, stands charged with the murder of Edward Lewis, 53, this past Friday.
Oak Forest police said around noon this past Friday, May 23, Lewis a man later identified as Lewis was found unresponsive in a home in the 15500 block of Long Avenue. A criminal complaint said Protho "made unlawful entry" into Lewis' residence, and "battered Lewis with an unknown object, resulting in his death by blunt force trauma."
In court Tuesday, prosecutors detailed the narcotics found in the home — cannabis and mushrooms. They said the victim, Lewis — who had been living in the home for about a year — had a strong connection to narcotics sales, and Protho was seen leaving the home with large garbage bags.
CBS News Chicago took a closer look at Protho's background, and found reporter Derrick Blakley interviewed a victim of his back in August 2012.
World War II Navy veteran Porter B. Cross, at the time about to turn 88, was robbed and beaten and left on the pavement in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood, while walking home from playing the Lottery.
The robbers smashed his glasses, knocked out his hearing aid, and broke his dentures in the assault. They took Cross' wallet, but it had no money in it. He had about $27 in cash in his pocket, but the robbers did not get that money.
"I don't know what happened," Cross said at the time.
The aftermath of the robbery was caught on camera.
"They hit from behind," Cross said at the time.
Protho, then just 17, was one of two people charged in the attack. He pleaded guilty and received an eight-year prison sentence.
CBS News Chicago found subsequent cases in Protho's record — felony possession of a firearm in 2018, and possession of a firearm with prior convictions and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2019. But those charges were dropped.
Protho will stay behind bars until his next court date.
"There's an interesting legal word for a defendant like this; couple words, actually — career criminal and a recidivist — and he clearly is both," said CBS News Chicago Legal Analyst Irv Miller, "and when a judge is deciding whether to detain a gentleman like this, there's really no hesitation in the part of any judge to lock him up pending trial."
Oak Forest Police Chief Scott Durano said his department has nothing else to share right now.
Protho will be back in court on Friday, June 13.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Social Security: Young Americans May Lose $110,000 to Keep Program Afloat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Social Security, a foundational program for U.S. retirees and disabled Americans, has come under renewed scrutiny as funding shortfalls loom. A new report by the Cato Institute warned that today's young workers might lose up to $110,000 in lifetime earnings to keep the program afloat. Why It Matters With the Social Security Trust Fund projected to reach insolvency in the next decade, younger workers now face the possibility of significant financial sacrifices to maintain the system for current and future beneficiaries. More than 60 million Americans receive benefits every month. And according to Justice in Aging, Social Security lifts more than 22 million people out of poverty, including over 16 million older adults and almost 1 million children. he Social Security Administration office in Brownsville. he Social Security Administration office in Brownsville. Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images What To Know Social Security faces a potential crisis as its trust fund is predicted to be depleted by the mid-2030s, according to recent projections. The primary driver is an aging population, particularly as Baby Boomers retire and a shrinking base of younger workers are paying into the program. As a result, the Social Security Administration would only be able to pay about 80 percent of scheduled benefits unless funding solutions are enacted. The Cato Institute reported that keeping Social Security solvent in its current form would require today's young workers—those just entering the labor market—to contribute significantly more over the course of their careers. If changes are not made, these workers could see a reduction equivalent to $110,000 of their lifetime earnings due to higher taxes and/or reduced benefits, according to the Cato Institute. That figure is based on the latest report from the Social Security Trustees, which said Congress would need to hike the payroll tax rate immediately and permanently by 3.65 percentage points, from 12.4 to 16.05 percent, to close the program's $25 trillion funding gap and continue to send out scheduled payments. "That means less discretionary income in each paycheck, which could have ripple effects on their day-to-day finances and long-term savings," Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9 innings podcast, told Newsweek. "A tax increase would be a hit to growth as less discretionary spending means less in corporate earnings." According to the Cato Institute, this cut would be equivalent to giving up 20 months of pay at the worker's average monthly wage. "There are endless variables affecting Social Security, but in the end, the math does not lie," Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek. "To keep the program going, there will be adjustments in the current payroll taxes, income caps, and full retirement age. We could see a return of the Retirement Earnings Test and may even see means testing for the highest income retirees." This could cause outrage across the general public, which has generally favored targeting higher earners rather than taking away from future retirees' payments. A University of Maryland Program for Public Consultation survey showed that 53 percent of American adults considered it acceptable to reduce Social Security benefits exclusively for the Top 40 percent of income earners. This targeted reduction would address approximately 23 percent of the program's projected funding shortfall. There was also bipartisan support for raising the retirement age, which could close an additional 15 percent of the funding gap. What People Are Saying Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "Younger workers, especially the youngest of the Millennials and all of Gen Z and beyond, should expect Social Security to look different for them than it does now. Adjustments to Social Security are rarely popular, but in the past Congress has been willing to act in the face of dire circumstances, such as in 1983 when the Full Retirement Age was extended." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9 innings podcast, told Newsweek: "While such an increase would extend the solvency of Social Security by about 75 years, it's not a complete solution. The real fix would likely require both raising the payroll tax and removing the income cap. But let's be honest—that kind of proposal is a tough sell politically. Running on a platform to raise taxes rarely gains traction, even when it's tied to securing the future of Social Security." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "There's been an assumption made by Americans for decades now, and that is regardless of warnings and political posturing, Social Security will always be there to provide for retirees. The reality is there's a tremendous shortfall coming in the next decade, and if Congress doesn't act, beneficiaries will see their monthly payments dramatically reduced." What Happens Next With Social Security's financial future uncertain, Congress and the public are set to debate possible reforms, including benefit reductions for higher earners, payroll tax increases, and changes to the retirement age. The conversation will likely intensify as insolvency draws nearer in the next decade, with any enacted policy changes affecting both current retirees and younger generations entering the workforce. No official policy changes have yet been passed, but the heightened awareness and survey support for targeted reform suggest continued bipartisan attention to the problem in upcoming legislative sessions. "There are obviously different solutions to the shortfall that don't involve raising that percentage, but it does present a grim prediction for the American workforce if Congress doesn't act on a more efficient solution," Beene said.


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Woman stabbed at apartment complex near Miami Lakes, MDSO says
A woman was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center after she was stabbed at an apartment complex early Thursday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. They said around 8:45 a.m. a call came in about a stabbing at the Natura Gardens apartment complex at NW 172 Street and NW 94 Court, just west of I-75 near Miami Lakes. When deputies arrived, they found a woman lying on the ground with at least one stab wound, sheriff's investigators said. She was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital where she is listed as stable. Investigators have focused their attention on a second floor apartment. Sheriff's investigators said the person who stabbed her left the scene before deputies arrived. They added that the woman knows who that person is, but it is unclear what sort of relationship they have.


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Homicide investigation underway in Des Plaines, Illinois after man dead in car
Homicide investigation underway in Des Plaines, Illinois, after a man was found shot and killed in a car on Wednesday. According to Des Plaines police, officers responded to a report of a shooting around 4:25 p.m. in the 900 block of North Avenue. Police said officers found a man dead with a gunshot wound seated in a parked car. Police identified the man as Joseph Kalamaris, 33, from Rosemont, Illinois. According to police, a family member found Kalamaris and called 911. Des Plaines police confirmed there is no threat to the public, and they are investigating.