Man extradited from Mexico, charged in cold case killings of 2 brothers in Cicero, police say

CICERO, Ill. (WLS) -- The family of John and Michael Fields breathed a sigh of relief after learning that a man has been charged in the death of two beloved brothers who served their country.

'It was a heinous cowardly act," said Francisco Diaz, Cicero Police Deputy Superintendent of Investigations.

It's been a painstaking 30 years of waiting for answers for the Fields family. It was on April 12, 1995 that Cicero police said they responded to shots fired along 50th Court.

Investigators said they found 19-year-old Michael Fields and his brother, 22-year-old John Fields, with multiple gunshots. They died of their injuries.

For years, the case went cold and their deaths remained a mystery. The case was reopened in 2013, and detectives said they got a break in 2014 from a key witness.

"She had a relationship with our person of interest at the time which later became our offender," Deputy Diaz said. "We had a hard time finding her because she was in Mexico with him."

That information led them to 49-year-old Daniel Flores. Cicero police believe there was some kind of altercation between Flores and the two brothers before the shooting took place.

It took years for police to find Flores.

"The Great Lakes investigators believed Flores was residing in Celaya, Mexico with his current wife," said LaDon Reynolds, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. "Flores was arrested on February 8, 2023."

Cicero police said Flores then fought extradition for two years. This week, he was brought to the U.S. to face charges.

The Fields family was present Friday afternoon as police gave an update, but declined to talk to members of the media.

The case hit close to home for the officers who worked countless hours to make an arrest.

"Myself, as a prior military person, I took it kind of personal, so it is very rewarding," Deputy Diaz said. "And most importantly, it hopefully brings some closure to this family."

Flores is facing two counts of first-degree murder. He is currently behind bars and will be back in court May 2.