Burr Ridge woman dies days after son attacks her with sledgehammer: prosecutors

BURR RIDGE, Ill. - A Burr Ridge man is facing murder charges after attacking his mother with a sledgehammer, leading to her death, officials said.

Oscar Rodriguez, 37, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated domestic battery in connection with the death of Virna Rodriguez.

Burr Ridge police responded to a home in the 9100 block of South Madison Street around 6:28 p.m. Friday, where they found Virna bleeding from the head, vomiting blood, and sitting propped up against a chair. She was still breathing but unresponsive.

She was taken to a hospital, where she died Sunday afternoon.

The Investigation

What we know:

Authorities said another woman inside the home heard Virna scream and, when she went to check, found her bleeding at the table with Oscar standing behind her.

Oscar allegedly saw the woman and chased her upstairs. She locked herself in a bedroom, but he broke through the door, prompting her to lock herself in a bathroom, prosecutors said.

After briefly banging on the bathroom door, Oscar fled the scene.

Police took him into custody a few hours later without incident.

During their search, officers found a mini sledgehammer in the snow near the front sidewalk with what appeared to be blood on it. The snow around the hammer also contained a red substance, officials said.

What they're saying:

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin issued the following statement regarding the crime:

"This is a heartbreaking tragedy for all those involved. I offer my sincerest condolences to Virna Rodriguez’s family and friends as they grieve their loss. I thank the Burr Ridge Police Department for their thorough investigation into this matter. I also thank the Illinois State Police and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance as well as Assistant State’s Attorney Heather Misura for her efforts on this very sad case."

What's next:

Prosecutors initially charged Oscar Rodriguez with attempted murder and aggravated domestic battery, but the charges were upgraded to murder after Virna died.

A judge granted the state's motion to deny him pre-trial release.

Oscar is scheduled to appear in court on March 13.