Funeral services are set to be held Friday for a nurse and mother, who worked at an Algonquin spa and “will be deeply missed,” who was tortured for over seven hours before being strangled to death in Schaumburg.
A visitation is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday for Katherine “Kat” Torbick, 43, of Schaumburg, at Ryan-Parke Funeral Home in Park Ridge.
A funeral mass is expected to follow at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Paul of the Cross in Park Ridge.
Torbick was found dead on April 30 at her home in the 1700 block of West Weathersfield Way in Schaumburg after the Schaumburg Police Department received a 911 call for a well-being check on her around 9:20 p.m.
Officers arrived to find Torbick dead at the scene after forcing entry into the home, police officials said.
The medical examiner’s office performed an autopsy on Torbick and ruled her death a homicide by strangulation.
Police officers arrested Kevin D. Motykie, 56, of Schaumburg, in the garage at the residence.
Motykie had a pending arrest warrant at the time for aggravated domestic battery due to recent domestic violence incidents at the same location involving Torbick.
Detectives determined Torbick and Motykie were both residing at the home and were in a previous 10-year dating relationship.
Police said there were multiple signs of trauma located throughout her body.
Prosecutors said Torbick began dating another person in April. It is unclear whether Torbick and Motykie had broken up before she started dating the new person.
Torbick had a 12-year-old son living in the Schaumburg home with Motykie and Torbick.
An obituary for Torbick said she was a “beloved mother, daughter, sister, niece, aunt and friend.”
She graduated from North Park University in 2005 with a degree in nursing and dedicated many years of her life working as a nurse where she cared for others and made a “lasting impact” on her patients, coworkers and the community, the obituary said.
“Nursing was more than a profession to her; it was a reflection of her generous spirit and deep compassion helping others. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, painting and spending time with her pet dogs (Bently & Simba). More importantly Katherine found the most joy with her son Jaxon,” her obituary said.
A witness could not reach Torbick on April 30 and requested police to go to the home where she lived for a well-being check.
Police entered the home, found Torbick dead and Motykie in the garage.
Prosecutors said that Motykie had a recording device in his possession when he was taken into custody by police.
A search warrant was obtained for the device and it was discovered Motykie had recorded the entire attack against Torbick.
In the more than seven-hour recording, Torbick was handcuffed and repeatedly sexually assaulted by Motykie, prosecutors said.
Torbick was also repeatedly beaten, bound and strangled throughout the attack.
At different times, Torbick begged for her life on the recording while Motykie accused Torbick of cheating on him.
Motykie also recorded the final four minutes of the incident, capturing the audio of her being strangled to death.
Prosecutors said Torbick was beaten, strangled and attacked in a previous incident that took place on March 16.
Torbick was beaten repeatedly and threatened with a knife before being forced to write a suicide note to her son during that incident, prosecutors said.
Torbick managed to escape the attack and run to a neighbor’s house, where police were called, prosecutors said.
An arrest warrant was issued on March 22 for Motykie for the attack but he was never taken into custody until Torbick was killed.
Torbick was employed at Fox River MedSpa in Algonquin and the business said they were heartbroken by the loss of their teammate and friend.
The business said Torbick was only with them for a short time but she became a part of their sisterhood. “She brought warmth, energy, and genuine care to our workplace. She loved being part of this team, and we loved having her here.”
“She made an impact that will not be forgotten – with both clients and teammates. Our hearts are with her family, especially her son, during this unimaginable time. We are holding them in our thoughts and sending all the strength and support we can,” Fox River MedSpa said.
“This loss is deeply felt across our entire team. We are taking time to grieve together, support one another, and honor her memory. Right now, our focus is on caring for our team and remembering the person we were so lucky to know. She mattered. She was valued. And she will always be part of our story,” they added.
Fox River MedSpa hosted a donation-based domestic violence class in Torbick’s name. All donated proceeds were to be given to Refuge For Women.
“If you or someone you know is experiencing harm or feels unsafe, please reach out. Support is available, and you are not alone,” the business said.
In January, the Illinois First District Appellate Court ruled on a civil case involving Motykie and his brother, Gary Motykie.
Gary Motykie is a plastic surgeon who lives in southern California but has family and business ties in the Chicago area.
Gary Motykie hired Kevin Motykie in 2017 to manage one of Gary’s businesses, Motykie Med Spa in Barrington, court documents show.
The man later accused Kevin Motykie of stealing funds from the business and the feud between the brothers entered the court system in December 2021 when Gary sought a court order seeking possession of multiple cars in Kevin’s possession that Gary had purchased.
During the court proceedings in the civil case, Torbick testified and said she was Kevin Motykie’s girlfriend.
“She will be remembered for her unwavering strength, compassionate heart, adventurous spirit, and deep compassion helping others. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her,” her obituary said.
Those who wish to donate in Torbick’s honor can do so in her name to PAWS Chicago, 1997 North Clybourn Avenue in Chicago.