Off Duty | The Guardian Investigates

Episode 2: The Interrogations
Host/Reporter: Melissa Segura
Date: March 18, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the aftermath of the high-profile murder of Chicago police officer Clifton Lewis and the controversial interrogations that followed. Reporter Melissa Segura methodically reconstructs the harrowing experiences of four men—Edgardo Colon, Alex Villa, Tyrone Clay, and Melvin DeYoung—who became the focus of a relentless police investigation. Through candid interviews and detailed accounts, the episode questions the integrity of the interrogation process, highlights allegations of police misconduct, and explores the devastating personal costs of Chicago’s race to “find the killers—at all costs.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Aftermath of Officer Lewis’s Murder

• Setting the Scene:
  The murder of Clifton Lewis, a Chicago police officer, led to immense public and departmental pressure for a swift resolution.
  • $10,000 reward offered
  • Rush of tips, primarily implicating the Four Corner Hustlers gang (00:59–02:00)
• Shift in Focus:
  Despite most tips focusing on the Four Corner Hustlers, a single tip led police to fixate on Spanish Cobras—a rival gang with little logical motive due to territorial rivalries (05:01–05:24).

2. The Roundup and Interrogations

• Mass Arrests:
  In early January, police detained 24 men, including Edgardo Colon, Alex Villa, Tyrone Clay, and Melvin DeYoung. Three would ultimately confess, but all recanted, claiming coercion (00:59–03:00).
• High-pressure Tactics:
  Edgardo Colon describes the holding conditions:
  • Small, cramped rooms (04:10)
  • Detectives uninterested in his gun charge, instead focusing on implicating Cobras in the murder (04:26–04:36)
• Timeline Pressure:
  Police had 48 hours to file charges or release detainees; they pushed the legal boundaries, securing extensions under questionable practices (07:44; 19:13–19:48).

3. Edgardo Colon’s Ordeal

• Details Fed to Suspects:
  Edgardo reports that detectives supplied narrative details and pressured him to adopt a story implicating key individuals (06:39–06:44; 08:17).
• Threats to Family:
  • Detectives threaten to remove his mother from subsidized housing and take his daughter unless he cooperated (09:00–09:35).
  • “They know what points to hit to break you down.” – Edgardo Colon (09:35)
• Repeated Requests Ignored:
  Colon claims he asked for a lawyer, but police disregarded his requests, a practice he labels as systemic in Chicago (25:27–25:55).
• Coaching and Contamination:
  Colon admits confessing only after hours of psychological and physical distress—he could barely keep narrative details straight without detective guidance (24:57–27:44).
• Notable Quote:

  “You know I'm lying to you because I told you from the beginning that I had nothing to do with this, but now you're telling me that this is not adding up with what I'm saying. Well, I'm thinking to myself... of course it's not adding up because I was never there.”
  — Edgardo Colon (27:44)

4. The Arrest and Beating of Alex Villa and Tyrone Clay

• Dawn Raid:
  Police storm Tyrone’s house, detaining him, Alex, and Alex’s girlfriend. Both men describe beatings and threats during the arrest (12:37–13:26).
• Physical Violence:

  “They just grabbed me, dragged me face on the floor and just started punching me... I was just suffering from a gunshot wound as well.”
  — Alex Villa (12:37; 13:29) "We gonna kill you. Say you did it."
  — Tyrone Clay (13:12)

• Ignored Alibis and Evidence:
  Tyrone insists he was playing NBA2K on his PlayStation—its logs could verify his alibi—but police allegedly ignored this (20:36–21:07).

5. The Plight of Melvin DeYoung (Type 1 Diabetic)

• Medical Crisis Used as Leverage:
  Melvin, a diabetic, was denied insulin for extended periods. He describes the physical breakdown and eventual acquiescence to police demands under fear for his life (22:43; 30:43).

  "I'm like, man, what are you trying to do, kill me in here?" — Melvin DeYoung (22:43)

• Hospital Trips During Interrogation:
  Only after severe complaints is he briefly hospitalized, then returned for further questioning.
• Final Statement:
  Sick and unable to concentrate, Melvin eventually delivers a confession to end the ordeal:

  "It was a lie." — Melvin DeYoung (recorded on camera after confession, paraphrased 31:48)

6. Confessions, Recantations, and Consequences

• Pattern of Coercion:
  • All three confessed after multi-day interrogations under duress, with details often supplied or corrected by detectives (24:22–28:21).
  • Each would later recant, claiming confessions were false and coerced.
• Legal Fallout:
  • Edgardo Colon: Sentenced to 84 years (33:00)
  • Tyrone Clay: Jailed for nearly 12 years awaiting trial (33:00)
  • Melvin DeYoung: Never charged with murder, but imprisoned for a gun charge, losing a toe in prison due to diabetes complications (33:00)
  • Alex Villa: Refused to confess and was eventually released after 48 hours, but would later be convicted for the Lewis murder (14:03)
• Notable Quote:

  “You don't know if you're ever going to see your family again because they're blaming you for something. They know what points to hit to break you down.”
  — Edgardo Colon (09:35)

7. Systemic Issues and Police Response

• Broader Allegations:
  • Lawyers and suspects allege systemic disregard for legal protections in interrogations, particularly against Chicago residents with criminal backgrounds (25:33).
  • Police interrogated partners and family members, allegedly using threats and violence (21:07–21:57).
• Police/Public Response:
  • Chicago Police did not respond to most allegations, citing pending litigation.
  • In courts and in documents, all allegations of misconduct were denied (33:40–34:00).

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On being targeted:
  "Wait a minute, now you're questioning me about a police officer's murder I had nothing to do with."
  — Edgardo Colon (04:46)

• On allegations of pressure:
  “They broke me down to the point where it’s like, okay, I’ll tell you what you want to know, just so I can get out this room…anywhere but this room.”
  — Edgardo Colon (24:57)

• On family threats:
  “We’re going to take your mom’s housing if you don’t cooperate…”
  — Edgardo Colon, paraphrased (09:00–09:13)

• On the confessions:
  "It was a lie."
  — Melvin DeYoung (post-interrogation, on camera, paraphrased 32:06–33:00)

• On ignored requests for a lawyer:
  “They just act like they didn’t hear you. They just keep going. They’re like, yeah, whatever. You don’t need a lawyer right now.”
  — Edgardo Colon (25:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |------|---------| | 00:59–02:00 | Background: Officer Lewis’s murder, early tips, pressure on CPD | | 03:06–04:23 | Edgardo Colon arrested, holding conditions, initial disbelief | | 04:26–08:47 | Interrogation focus shifts, confusion over gang involvement, narrative built by police | | 09:00–09:45 | Threats against Edgardo’s family | | 11:59–13:53 | Tyrone Clay & Alex Villa’s arrest, physical violence described | | 16:03–17:00 | Melvin DeYoung’s arrest, confusion, medical vulnerability | | 19:13–19:48 | Police deadline; judge’s extension to detention | | 20:09–21:07 | Tyrone’s PlayStation alibi, ignored by police | | 22:43–23:00 | Melvin DeYoung’s medical distress during interrogation | | 24:22–25:27 | Edgardo on psychological breakdown, reasons for false confessions | | 25:27–28:21 | Edgardo’s coerced confession, detective coaching, failed narratives | | 30:43–30:56 | Melvin’s fear for his life, ultimate capitulation | | 33:00 | Aftermath—jail time, convictions, lack of charges for Melvin | | 34:00–34:47 | Official responses: denials, pending litigation |

Tone & Language

Melissa Segura’s reporting is sober, methodical, and empathetic—giving voice to the men and their families who describe what they endured during the interrogations. The testimonies from Edgardo, Tyrone, Alex, and Melvin are raw, often distressed, and convey the sense of desperation, isolation, and trauma experienced inside the interrogation rooms. The episode resists sensationalism, letting the words of those involved—and the unanswered questions about the police’s methods—speak for themselves.

Summary

“Off Duty: The Interrogations” exposes the personal and systemic costs of the race to solve a cop killing in Chicago: confessions given under duress, the fear and despair of those interrogated, and the lasting toll on suspects and their families. The episode challenges the audience to consider what “justice at all costs” really means—if the costs are this high.