Police said that a 17-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder. He will be tried as an adult, CPD said. Police believe the murder happened in the course of an attempted carjacking.
"So we have a 70-year-old woman who's still working extremely hard, and then her life is tragically ended, really for no reason other than a car here," CPD Chief of Detectives Brian Deenihan said.
Deenihan said Ruzich was waiting in her car to go to work on August 16 when two suspects drove by, made a U-turn and came back to park by them.
Her stepson, who was with her at the time, saw they were armed with handguns and told her to drive away.
As they both tried to drive away, one of the suspects shot into Ruzich's car. After she crashed, Deenihan said the suspects got back into their car, drove up to her crashed car and fired more shots into it.
CPD announce teen charged in murder of Hegewisch grandmother
She was transported to Advocate Christ Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead, police said.
The incident was partially captured on POD video, allowing police a look at the gunmen.
The suspects were both wearing masks at the time. One was in all-white clothing, and the other was in all-black clothing.
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Police were able to track the vehicle used in the murder and realized that car was carjacked and led to a different carjacking. They traced the car back to four different carjackings or attempting carjackings, and recovered four vehicles. The investigation even crossed state lines into Indiana.
Using technology to track the suspects, police were able to locate images of them from other places they went. After the photos were released in the press and on social media, several witnesses came forward to help identify the suspects.
Deenihan said they were able to take one suspect into custody in Chicago, and they are confident they can apprehend the second suspect. Police said they know who they are looking for.
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A 17-year-old Chicago boy has been arrested and the other suspect is still being sought. Police declined to say which of the two pictured is in custody.
What still remains unanswered is why they targeted Ruzich?
"There wasn't a lot of interaction there, but that just shows how emboldened they were and how quick they are to discharge a firearm," Deenihan said.
Though Ruzich had retired from the Department of Streets and Sanitation, she worked part-time because she loved to stay busy. Her boss said she was a dedicated employee and a hard worker.
She was known by many in the tight-knit Hegewisch community, as always having a smiling face and a great attitude.
A $12,000 reward has been offered for information in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Two detectives at 312-747-8271.