Notre Dame halfback's brother killed on W. Side
Uncle says shooting may be over love triangle
October 31, 2007
BY FRANK MAIN AND STEVE TUCKER Staff Reporters
University of Notre Dame football player Robert Hughes left school in shock Tuesday after learning his older brother was gunned down on the West Side.
Earl "Tony" Hughes, 24, was shot in the head early Tuesday in the 5300 block of West Wabansia about two blocks from his home in the North Austin neighborhood, authorities said.
Robert Hughes, a freshman running back for the Irish, learned of his brother's death from head coach Charlie Weis.
"His mom called me and she was shook up, and when I told Robert, he obviously was shook up," Weis said. "I told him to take as much time as he needs."
Earl Hughes had worked until about 10 p.m. Monday at EFT Sports Performance in Highland Park, where he was a trainer for teenage athletes.
He returned home about 11 p.m. and left about 12:30 a.m. He was killed soon afterward, said his uncle EJ Jones.
A witness said she heard an argument and shots fired, police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
"It's horrible," Jones said. "We are 100 percent confident this was not drug- or gang-related. He was never in an altercation. . . . We think this has to do with some kind of triangle relationship."
Earl Hughes' only arrest was for disorderly conduct in 2000, police said.
He was the father of a 1-year-old daughter and one of eight siblings.
Earl Hughes was a role model for his younger brother, Robert. They last saw each other Sunday when Robert came home to visit.
"Robert wanted to be like his brother," said Jones, who was a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1984-85 season.
"His brother was big in sports and probably had more natural talent than Robert, but did not take advantage of his opportunities," Jones said. "His brother worked out with Robert and pushed him. He did not want Robert to make the mistakes he did. He wanted Robert to make the big time."
Still, Earl Hughes was a proud big brother who attended all of Notre Dame's home games.
Robert Hughes has a touchdown and has rushed for 42 yards on 16 carries so far this year. The 5-foot-11, 238-pounder rushed for 5,734 yards in his four-year career at Hubbard High and was considered a top running back recruit.
Earl Hughes had attended Joliet Junior College, where he was an outstanding basketball player, his uncle said.
Recently, Elias Karras hired Earl to work for him at EFT Sports Performance. He knew Earl and Robert Hughes because they both worked out at the facility last year.
Earl Hughes had made the first cut of an Arena Football League tryout last year, but did not wind up playing, Karras said.
"I hired him to do maintenance and entry-level work, but immediately realized he should be helping us train our junior high, freshmen and sophomore kids," Karras said. "He became an assistant trainer in a month. I was going to sign him up to take him for his personal-training certification class."
Karras said he wasn't able to tell Earl Hughes' students about his murder.
"The kids loved him," he said. "We just said he was not here today. I didn't know what to say."
