Erick Alfaro cold case: Cook County sheriff seeks public's help in 2022 murder
Cook County sheriff asks for help tracking down suspected gunmen in Erick Alfaro's murder
It’s been two years since a 14-year-old boy was killed just steps from his home in the northwest suburbs. Now the Cook County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in tracking down the two suspected gunmen. In a Fox 32 special report, Tia Ewing has the latest on the search for who killed Erick Alfaro.
UNINCORPORATED ELK GROVE TOWNSHIP, Ill. - It’s been two years since a 14-year-old boy was killed just steps from his home in the northwest suburbs.
Now the Cook County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in tracking down the two suspected gunmen.
In a Fox 32 special report, Tia Ewing has the latest on the search for who killed Erick Alfaro.
In early May 2022, Alfaro was just steps from his home in the Blackhawk Estates mobile home park in Unincorporated Elk Grove Township when he was fatally shot.
The teen was also just weeks away from graduating from Grove Junior High School.
"This was one of those ones that’s really difficult on many levels, starting with the fact, a 14-year-old boy who’s just a very, very nice kid," Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said. "From anybody we talked to, they just tell you he’s a super nice kid."
Dart said his investigators were able to generate several leads that led them to two men – 28-year-old Aron Barcenas and 23-year-old Julio Bernal.
"We do have the two people that we believe strongly were the ones that did it with arrest warrants for them right now, and we’re looking for any help in trying to find these two people," Dart said.
In July 2022, a Cook County judge issued arrest warrants for both men for first degree murder and attempted murder.
Dart said Barcenas and Bernal have been on the run for the last two years and investigators have had little new information to go on.
"There was no indications of any other issues. Any type of gang affiliation. Nothing. He was just a very nice kid," Dart said.
"We believe there could have been some type of disagreement but, once again, Erick was a very nice kid. Next thing you know, someone shoots Erick in the head, killing him instantly. The car then takes off," the sheriff added.
Barcenas was described as a Hispanic male, 5-foot-4 tall, 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Bernal was described as a Hispanic male, about 5-foot-9 tall, weighing about 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Police said both men should be considered armed and dangerous and anyone who sees them should call police.
If you have any information on this case, call the Cook County Sheriff's Office at 708-865-4896.