After a protracted battle against extradition, Daniel Flores, 49, has been charged with the 1995 double murder of Marine brothers in Cicero, Illinois, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Flores was apprehended in Guanajuato, Mexico, in February 2023 and brought back to the United States, where he faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of John Fields, 22, and his brother, Michael Fields, 19. Both siblings served in the U.S. Marine Corps, with John having completed his service and Michael on active duty when the shooting occurred on April 12, 1995.
Cicero Police Superintendent Thomas Boyle expressed that solving this cold case has been a focal point for the department, saying, "Their hard work has brought much-needed closure to the Fields family," as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. In an investigation that had gone cold for years, a resurgence in 2013 pivoted on new information from a key witness who had previously had difficulties coming forward due to her proximity to Flores in Mexico.
The case's rejuvenation can be largely credited to the key witness who was with Flores in Mexico and initially eluded authorities. According to CBS News Chicago, Francisco Diaz, Cicero's deputy superintendent of investigations, remarked on the complexities of getting the witness to testify. "We had a hard time finding her because she was in Mexico with him," Diaz stated. The case picked up traction, leading to Flores' eventual arrest and extradition.
Angela Fields, the sister of the slain brothers, had previously voiced her frustration over the lengthy wait for justice. Angela's sentiments, as shared in 2021 with CBS News Chicago, echoed a family's yearning for resolution. During the recent announcement of the charges, the Fields family stood by, a somber testament to the enduring impact of the tragedy. LaDon Reynolds, the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, conveyed his satisfaction with the case's developments, highlighting the beginning of closure for the family.
