Man slain after puppy urinates on lawn

A former Marine who neighbours say obsessed over his University Park lawn is being held on $3 million bail, accused of gunning down a neighbour whose puppy urinated on the man's well-manicured grass. Charles J. Clements, 69, had won the south suburb's beautification and lawn upkeep award but also was known for threatening people who dared to set foot in his yard, neighbours said.

Joshua Funches, a 23-year-old father of two, was walking his fox terrier Gucci in the 500 block of Landau Road on Sunday night when the dog lifted its leg and went on Clements' lawn, said Funches' mother Patricia, 53. The two men began arguing, and at some point, Clements, a retired truck driver, pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Funches, a Crete-Monee High School graduate who drove a bus, said Will County Assistant State's Attorney Sondra Denmark.



Witnesses said Funches then said to Clements, "Next time you pull out a pistol, why don't you use it?" Denmark said. At that point, witnesses said they saw orange and white light and heard a loud noise. They saw Funches fall to the ground. "It was all over a little wooden plaque," said an emotional Patricia Funches, referring to the beautification award. "It was a senseless death."

Clements then returned to his house and changed his clothes. When University Park police arrived, they found the master landscaper in his garage with the door open. "I knew you were coming for me," he told police, according to Denmark. "That's why I changed my clothes. I knew you were coming for me." Neighbours were shocked that such deadly violence could have stemmed from a minor fight.