A heartbreaking story has emerged from Palatine, where a man has been charged in the tragic shooting death of his girlfriend. The incident happened on November 29 in the 1700 block of North Hicks Road.
That night, around 11:30 p.m., officers were called to check on someone’s well-being. When they arrived, they found 42-year-old Fatima Lizeth Escalante Matamoros with a gunshot wound to her head. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but sadly, she didn’t survive.
Immediately, police focused on her boyfriend, 43-year-old Sergio Velasquez Fuentes, as a person of interest. However, Velasquez Fuentes fled the scene. The next day, officers from Streamwood found him and handed him over to detectives in Palatine. Despite being the main person of interest, he was released on December 2 without any charges at that time, though police continued their investigation.
Fast forward to December 13, Palatine police issued an arrest warrant for Velasquez Fuentes. By then, they discovered he was already in federal custody for an unrelated case. On Monday, detectives were finally able to arrest him and charge him with first-degree murder in connection to Fatima’s death.
Velasquez Fuentes is now set to appear in court on January 29. The case has left the community in shock, with many mourning the loss of Fatima and seeking justice for her tragic death.