Prometheus 6

In September, he was found in contempt of court for failing to pay child support to his former wife. The same month, another woman, who is also the mother of another of his children, tried twice to file an order of protection against him in Maywood, telling police he shoved her and then later fired shots near the bedroom window where she and their child sleep, according to records.

He then called the woman's mother, saying, "Next time, they won't miss," according to her complaint. The court agreed to an order of protection on Sept. 18, the same day authorities say Franklin disappeared.

Chicago man charged in woman's slaying
Nailah Franklin's body found in September, officials say
By Angela Rozas and Kayce Ataiyero
Tribune staff reporters
3:46 PM CST, December 8, 2007

 A "deeply flawed" alibi has led to the arrest of a Chicago man in the September slaying of Nailah Franklin, authorities said during a news conference today.

Police said Reginald Potts Jr., who briefly dated Franklin, is charged with murder after FBI officials placed his cell phone and Franklin's cell phone in the same location at a time he said he was not with Franklin.

Franklin's sisters reported her missing Sept. 19 and her nude body was discovered in dense woods in Calumet City eight days later. Police say Franklin was killed Sept. 18. A law-enforcement source has said she was not shot or stabbed. An autopsy in September failed to determine the cause of the death and the Cook County medical examiner's office said Saturday results are still pending.

Police sources said Potts, 30, had been a suspect since Franklin was reported missing. The two had a heated e-mail exchange the week before she disappeared.

Witness statements to police also raised questions about his whereabouts, authorities said.

Potts, who also is charged with robbery and the theft of Franklin's vehicle, is in the County Jail serving a 100-day sentence after pleading guilty to violating an order of protection involving another woman, according to John Gorman, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office. Potts also was charged with aggravated battery for striking a sheriff's deputy and ordered held without bail.

He is scheduled for a bond hearing on the murder charge Monday.

"Reginald is presumed innocent," William P. Murphy, Potts' attorney, said Saturday. "We haven't gotten all the evidence yet. We have a long ways to go."