Phinneius Banks' Bond Set at $2M for Chinatown Murder in July

Chicago - Phinneius Banks was charged for the murder of a Chinatown resident, Xiaohong Song, who was strangled in the early morning on July 3 during a robbery .

Banks was ordered to be held on $2 million bond on Friday and a preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 22, Cook County State's Attorney's Office Spokesman Andy Conklin said.

Banks, 20, is charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery.

The Song was with another man walking west in the 200 block of 23rd Street after they had gotten off a casino bus.

The robber approached the two from behind and pushed Song into a tree. The robber then grabbed the other man by the throat, struck him in the face and knocked him to the ground.

The assailant then robbed both men while they were lying on the ground.

Song was found unresponsive on the scene at 1:43 a.m. July 3, police said.

An autopsy performed later on July 3 revealed Song, who was in his 40s and lived nearby the attack at 230 W. 23rd St., was strangled to death, the medical examiner’s said. His death was ruled a homicide.

A second man was also taken into custody in connection with the attack but has not been charged as of Friday afternoon.

Banks was arrested on Wednesday.

Wentworth Area detectives are investigating.