Cook County murder: Boyfriend charged in fatal shooting of girlfriend
What We Know
On Nov. 29, 2024, Palatine police responded to the 1700 block of North Hicks Road for a well-being check around 11:26 p.m. There, they found Fatima Lizeth Escalante Matamoros, 42, with a gunshot wound to the head.
Emergency responders took her to a hospital, where she later died.
Police quickly identified her boyfriend, Sergio Velasquez Fuentes, 43, as a person of interest. Velasquez Fuentes had fled the scene but was found the next morning by Streamwood police. He was turned over to Palatine detectives for questioning.
Although initially released without charges on Dec. 2, Velasquez Fuentes remained a person of interest in the investigation. Detectives worked with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and on Dec. 13, they secured a first-degree murder warrant for his arrest.
Sergio Velasquez Fuentes
On Jan. 6, Velasquez Fuentes, who was already in federal custody for an unrelated matter, was taken into custody by Palatine police detectives. He has been charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony, and appeared in court on Jan. 7.
What We Don’t Know
Police have not yet revealed a possible motive for the shooting or details about the events leading up to the fatal encounter.
What’s Next
Velasquez Fuentes remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 29.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the Palatine Police Department.