CHICAGO (WLS) — Just under a week after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was captured in a photo with a Peacekeeper, court documents allege that the man was involved in a violent theft and deadly accident on Michigan Avenue, as reported by the ABC7 I-Team.
According to Chicago police, a group of seven individuals broke into the Louis Vuitton store on the Magnificent Mile, making off with designer merchandise worth hundreds of thousands on September 11. One of the escape vehicles then collided with Mark Arceta’s car, leading to the death of the young father, whose child was born the following day.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Authorities identified a man named both Keller and Kellen McMiller as part of the seven-member team involved in the theft. Court records indicate McMiller had pending arrest warrants in Cook County, Florida, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
Days earlier, McMiller had posed with Governor Pritzker at an event with Peacekeepers.
In response to inquiries about the photograph with McMiller, Pritzker’s office stated to ABC7, “We were deeply troubled to learn that this individual was arrested for his alleged involvement in this serious crime, and we expect them to be held fully accountable under the law…”
McMiller is charged with murder, burglary, and fugitive from justice in the deadly crash-and-grab on Michigan Avenue.
Court records highlight McMiller’s extensive and violent criminal history, featuring charges such as drug offenses, domestic battery, armed robbery, and probation breaches in Cook County. He faced charges of battery against a police officer and resisting arrest in Miami-Dade County last year. A signed warrant showed McMiller was violating his supervision terms.
Governor Pritzker’s office had included a photo with McMillen, which was later removed, as part of an announcement celebrating the Peacekeepers program’s success in cutting down violent crime. This initiative receives substantial government funding annually.
READ MORE | Fiancée of expectant father killed in crash with Mag Mile smash-and-grab suspects speaks out
McMiller was working as what’s called a participant in Peacekeepers with the group “Public Equity.”
“We give them a chance to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem,” said Peter Cunningham, who works with another organization, Chicago CRED, that also receives state funding for the Peacekeeper program.
The I-Team asked if Peacekeeper programs check to see if people have an active criminal record when they bring them in to be participants.
“No, we don’t,” said Cunningham. “We check to see if they have the relationships that would make them effective in the community, and the data clearly shows that they do. We know that many of them are justice involved. If we try to eliminate people who are justice involved, we wouldn’t find the people who could actually do this work.”
To be clear, McMiller did not work with Chicago CRED, and both Cunningham and Pritzker say they did not know McMiller personally.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office told the I-Team McMiller is still in the hospital, which is why he’s not yet appeared before a judge on the most recent charges.
Two men other charged in the deadly crash-and-grab were in court Thursday. A judge ordered Darius Bowdry and Dejuan Wingard to remain in custody.
Last week, a Cook County judge also ordered 26-year-old Harvey Fisher, 37-year-old Alton Jackson, 22-year-old Anthony Hemphill and 19-year-old Keith Perkins to be held in custody pending their trials.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
