On April 4, a crash on Chicago’s West Side left one young family rattled and, they say, set off a mystery that ended in tragedy. The husband who stayed at the scene to wait for a tow truck never made it home. Relatives say his body was found days later, less than a mile from the wreck, and the family is now pushing police for answers about how he died and what happened to the car.
Daniela Martinez says she, her husband, 25-year-old Jose Gregorio Pulido, and their 1-year-old daughter were in a collision in the 1600 block of South Ridgeway Avenue on April 4. Martinez filed a missing person report two days later, and she says Chicago police told her on April 13 that Pulido’s body had been recovered near Summer Elementary School in North Lawndale, less than a mile from the crash site, as reported by FOX 32 Chicago.
“He was in perfect condition. Fire and EMS arrived, they took a report and that was it. They checked us, and we were fine,” Martinez told FOX 32 Chicago. She says she still has not been told how her husband died and that the vehicle involved in the crash is missing. The family says police would not share details about the condition of Pulido’s body or confirm whether detectives reviewed nearby surveillance footage.
Questions Around Surveillance And The Missing Car
Martinez says she asked officers to review surveillance footage from nearby businesses and the school but claims detectives declined. In the meantime, she has been handing out flyers and asking neighbors to check any cameras they might have. In a city laced with cameras, it is the footage that is not being watched that worries her most.
The push for camera review echoes a recurring problem in Chicago, where investigators and school officials have at times disagreed over access to surveillance video and where delays can cost investigators crucial evidence, according to previous reporting. Block Club Chicago detailed a notable example in which access to school cameras complicated a criminal probe.
Medical Examiner And Timeline
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office is responsible for investigating sudden or suspicious deaths in the county, and its public FAQ notes that autopsy and toxicology reports frequently take several months to complete. Families who want copies of records can contact the office at the Robert J. Stein Institute of Forensic Medicine, and autopsy and toxicology reports are typically released only after a final cause has been determined. Procedural details and contact information are available through the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
How Neighbors Can Help
Martinez is urging anyone with information to step forward, hoping that surveillance footage or a neighbor’s dash cam could help explain what happened. The family asks that anyone who saw the crash, witnessed any tow activity in the area, or has information about the missing vehicle contact Chicago police or the investigators assigned to the case.
