Mia Maro, 17, was found beaten to death inside her south suburban home Sunday night in the 7800-block of West 167th Street, Tinley Park police said.
[Ads /]
WATCH | Tinley Park police announce charges in Mia Maro's murder
Tinley Park police announce charges in teen's murder
Muhammed Almaru, 42, is charged with first-degree murder, according to police.
Tinley Park police were called to the home by Almaru's sister. When responding officers encountered Almaru, he had self-inflicted wounds to his wrists and throat and had ingested pills, according to Tinley Park Police Chief Matthew Walsh.
Neighbors said he was taken away on a stretcher as other relatives arrived, distraught. They described a chaotic scene, with much shouting.
Walsh said Almaru was intubated and remains hospitalized at Advocate Christ Medical Center. He is not cooperating with the investigation.
"We were able to obtain enough, in working with the state's attorney for a couple of days, enough where they were comfortable charging him with first degree murder," Walsh said.
[Ads /]
At this point, a motive is not known but details revealed in court about what may have led to her death are hard to fathom.
Prosecutors said Maro and her father had argued in recent days about her attending prom, and she allegedly crashed her father's car last week. Found in the home was a letter allegedly written by her father in which he admitted to beating Mia after discovering she had lied to him, prosecutors said.
Police also found a bent metal pole and rubber mallet allegedly used in the murder.
Maro's death was ruled a homicide caused by "multiple injuries," the medical examiner's office said. Her body was found on a lower level of the home.
Walsh said Wednesday that she had bruising all over her body.
"People are traumatized by this," Walsh said. "It's absolutely tragic."
He also said his officers are getting counseling after investigating the incident.
[Ads /]
"Lots of police officers have been calling me," he said. "They have children the same age, they know this girl, they like this girl, they're friends with her."
The principal of Andrew High School, where Maro was a senior, shared the news with the school's community in a letter Monday, writing in part, "Today is a very sad day for the Andrew High School Community as we grieve the loss of senior student Mia Maro... We extend our condolences to Mia's family and ask that everyone keep Mia in their thoughts and prayers."
Friends and classmates flocked to a growing memorial outside her family's home to pay tribute to Maro on Monday night.
"She was a few weeks away from graduating, and it's a very happy time, and just to have life cut short like that is just really very, very sad," said Andrew Brescia, neighbor.
Administrators at Andrew High School said counselors will be on hand all week for her classmates.
Family said Maro wanted to be a dental hygienist but was planning to attend college close to home in order to keep taking care of her mother.