Mike's Hard Time: Man Wanted for Stabbing Mom Arrested Over Fruit-Flavored Beverage Theft

By Nick Swedberg

A six-pack of cranberry-flavored alcoholic drinks led to the arrest in Evergreen Park of a Chicago man wanted for allegedly stabbing his mother to death.

Michael Spaulding, 32, was arrested on Monday by Evergreen Park police after the manager at Bleeker’s Bowling Lanes called to report a stolen pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade, police said. A short time after the arrest, Chicago police came to pick him up.

Spaulding was wanted for allegedly stabbing and killing his 67-year-old mother earlier in the day, Sun-Times Media reports. He appeared in front of a Cook County judge on Tuesday.

A witness told investigators that Spaulding stabbed his mother, went into the her apartment in the 1100 block of East 81st Street to change his clothes and, after coming back out, stabbed her repeatedly again before driving away in a car, according to the Sun-Times Media report.

Spaulding was driving a Ford Fusion when he was stopped by police near 95th and Western, Lt. Pete Donovan of the Evergreen park Police Department told Patch. Bleeker’s manager had called police about the retail theft and a description of the suspect was provided.

The suspect had a Mike's Hard Lemonade in his hand when he was stopped, according to police.

“He was finishing the bottle as he got out of the car," Donovan said. Spaulding was arrested and taken to the Evergreen Park Police Department. Chicago police found out about the arrest and took him into custody.

Spaulding was ordered to be held without bail Tuesday, according to the Sun-Times Media report. He as prior felony convictions for armed robbery and attempted armed robbery.