On Friday, September 22, a woman's life was tragically cut short as she sat inside her vehicle in North Chicago, Illinois. What initially appeared to be a targeted attack has now revealed itself as a sinister murder plot involving the victim's ex-boyfriend and an alleged hired hitman.
According to a Fox 32 Chicago report, the victim had left a home in the area and returned to her vehicle, which was parked in a driveway on 11th Street. As she sat in her vehicle, an unknown assailant fatally shot her before fleeing the scene. Police believed the shooting was targeted.
While details of the crime emerged in a second article from Fox 32 Chicago, we learned that investigators have since arrested two men in connection with the murder - Seferino Calihua-Rodriguez, 35, and Misael Chavarin-Plazola, 26, both of Waukegan. Chris Covelli, a Lake County Major Crime Task Force Investigators spokesman, revealed that one of those men, Calihua-Rodriguez, had previously been in a relationship with the victim and was upset over the recent breakup.
The investigation has led authorities to believe that Calihua-Rodriguez allegedly hired Chavarin-Plazola to kill his former lover. Chavarin-Plazola carried out the crime, fatally shooting the woman while she was vulnerable, sitting in her vehicle. He then reportedly attempted to kill a second individual who was about to enter the vehicle but failed to hit their mark and fled the scene, as per Covelli's statement.
The Lake County State's Attorney's Office has since charged Calihua-Rodriguez with two counts of first-degree murder, solicitation of murder for hire, and attempted first-degree murder. Chavarin-Plazola is facing charges of two counts of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder as well, according to Fox 32 Chicago. Both men were scheduled for their court appearances today.
