A four-time convicted felon was quickly arrested and charged with murder following an investigation by the Area One Detective Division.
On September 11, 2025, the Chicago Fire Department responded to a call of a fire at a garage in the 6500 block of S. Damen Ave in the West Englewood neighborhood. After firefighters extinguished the fire, they discovered a bag containing remains of a 36-year-old female victim.
Detectives responded to the scene and received information from community members that a male individual was seen exiting a vehicle and dumping a bag into a vacant garage. He was then seen pouring an unknown substance in front of the garage before fleeing the scene in a vehicle. A community member was able to relay pertinent information about the fleeing vehicle to detectives. With this information, the Area One Homicide Investigative Support (HIST) located the vehicle. After locating the vehicle, members of the HIST team took the 65-year-old owner of the vehicle into custody later that evening.
Further investigation revealed the owner of the vehicle was responsible for the murder of the victim who was found inside the burning garage. Detectives also learned the offender had kidnapped a second female victim, who was with the offender when he was arrested. Detectives learned the offender sexually assaulted her and murdered the deceased female victim in her presence.
Following an autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, it was discovered that the victim was shot multiple times.
In addition to the vital information detectives learned from the surviving victim and from community members, physical and digital evidence was used to secure charged against the offender. This offender, who had prior convictions for burglary, armed robbery and armed violence, is now charged with:
- One felony count of First-Degree Murder
- One felony count of Concealing a Homicidal Death
- One felony count of Aggravated Armed Kidnapping
- One felony count of Arson
- Two felony counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault with a Firearm
Due to the thorough investigation of the Area One Detective Division, with assistance from 7th District Officers, the Area One HIST Team, community members and the courageous surviving victim, this violent offender will face justice.