Officials say a Vernon Hills man and former U.S. Marine claimed he was a serial killer when he randomly “snapped” and began strangling a woman until she lost consciousness in a horrific attack at a Buffalo Grove hotel.
Bat E. Baasanbat, 28, of Vernon Hills, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, and unlawful restraint, a Class 4 felony.
The Buffalo Grove Police Department responded around 12:10 p.m. on April 16 to Extended Stay America Suites, 1525 Busch Parkway in Buffalo Grove, for an unknown problem call.
Police officials said officers located a woman with bruising on her face who reported she had been strangled until she lost consciousness.
She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries and later released.
The offender, who knew the victim, fled the scene, police officials said.
Officers from the Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Lincolnshire and Riverwoods police departments responded to the scene and conducted a search of the area but were unable to locate the offender.
The offender was later identified as Baasanbat following an investigation.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said officers were directed to the third floor of the hotel when they arrived and encountered the victim and the general manager.
The woman gave a description of Baasanbat and said he was an acquaintance of hers but only knew him as “Bobby.” He had been staying with her because she has epilepsy and needs someone to watch her.
The victim had numerous visible injuries, including large red marks to her neck, red eyes, multiple bleeding marks on her face and a bump on her head.
Baasanbat “randomly snapped” on her, dragged her by the hair from one side of the room to another and strangled her multiple times over the course of eight minutes while she laid in bed, causing her to lose consciousness, McConnell said.
McConnell said Baasanbat had been “straddling” the victim, pressing down on her throat with both hands while she was on her back.
When the woman regained consciousness, Baasanbat was still on top of her and she tried to roll off the bed but Baasanbat continued strangling her, slammed her head into a dress and hit her in the head with a pan, McConnell said.
He also told her that this was the last breath she would take, that he was a serial killer and he would kill her before she was able to get free, according to the prosecutor. Baasanbat also said he “loved” killing people, McConnell said.
Baasanbat allegedly displayed two fixed blades at one point while continuing to threaten to kill her “like he butchers a steak” and saying that he would make sure her body was never found, McConnell said.
The victim tried grabbing her phone for help but Baasanbat placed her into a headlock and took her to the floor, McConnell said. “These are your last final breaths,” Baasanbat allegedly told her while again claiming to be a serial killer.
Baasanbat made mention of putting bodies into rivers and mentioned the name of a Wheeling woman that the two knew and said he killed her the prior night, McConnell said.
Someone eventually came to the hotel room door and Baasanbat fled the scene.
Officers canvassed the area, deployed drones and canines, and worked to obtain surveillance video in the area.
The video showed Baasanbat fleeing from the hotel and a business owner reported that the man had come into the back entrance of his restaurant, at which time the owner told him to leave and Baasanbat responded by saying he was being chased, McConnell said.
A still image of Baasanbat was disseminated to area law enforcement and a Palatine police officer identified him based on prior contacts.
A felony arrest warrant was obtained for Baasanbat after the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the two felony charges.
The Palatine Police Department responded to a call for an unrelated matter in their town on Thursday and encountered Baasanbat and requested Buffalo Grove police investigators to respond.
He was arrested and transported to the Buffalo Grove Police Department before later being taken to the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan.
Baasanbat appeared for a detention hearing on Friday afternoon after the state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain him pending trial.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and remanded Baasanbat to the Lake County Jail, calling the incident “concerning” and “disturbing.”
Baasanbat has a prior arrest for sexual assault out of Quantico, Virginia, and has active warrants for possession of a controlled substance and retail theft out of Cook County.
A public defender for Baasanbat said he was previously in the U.S. Marines for four years but was honorably discharged. The attorney said the victim does crack cocaine until she seizes and becomes combative.
Baasanbat is scheduled to appear in court again on May 26 for a preliminary hearing.