Two suspects are in custody on murder charges after authorities say a woman was fatally shot in North Chicago by a hitman hired by the victim’s former spouse.
The North Chicago Police Department responded around 6:05 a.m. Friday to the 1000 block of Victoria Avenue in North Chicago for a call of shots fired.
Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said officers arrived and found an adult female who had been shot.
The North Chicago Fire Department responded to the scene and confirmed the victim was dead.
An extensive investigation resulted in the arrests of Seferino Calihua-Rodriguez, 35, of Waukegan, and Misael Chavarin-Plazola, 26, of Waukegan.
The investigation revealed that Calihua-Rodriguez was the husband of the female victim, Covelli said.
Covelli said the relationship ended and Calihua-Rodriguez was upset about it.
It is unknown yet whether they were officially separated or still in the process.
Covelli said that Calihua-Rodriguez decided to hire Chavarin-Plazola to kill the victim.
The female victim had left a residence in the area and walked back to a vehicle parked on the driveway of a detached garage on 11th Street.
The woman sat down in the car when Chavarin-Plazola approached the car and shot her, Covelli said.
She sustained major injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Covelli said Chavarin-Plazola also attempted to kill a second person who was entering the vehicle with the victim.
He missed and the gunfire did not strike the other person.
The North Chicago Police Department requested the assistance of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force with the investigation.
Calihua-Rodriguez was arrested the same day of the murder and Chavarin-Plazola was arrested on Saturday.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved charges against Calihua-Rodriguez of two counts of first-degree murder, solicitation of murder for hire and attempted first-degree murder.
Chavarin-Plazola was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said this was “one of the most calculated and cold-blooded murders we have ever seen.”
Rinehart said the Major Crime Task Force, the state’s attorney’s Violent Crimes Unit and the state’s attorney’s forensic team did an “amazing job” to solve the case.
“These public servants have started to secure justice for this victim and have prevented these offenders from escaping the jurisdiction with their thorough and detailed work,” Rinehart said.
The identity of the female victim is still being withheld because the Lake County Coroner’s Office has been unable to notify her family so far.
Chavarin-Plazola and Calihua-Rodriguez are both scheduled to appear in first appearance court on Monday.