Posen probationary police officer honored for aiding in arrest of suspects in mother's murder

POSEN, Ill. (WLS) -- A Posen probationary officer was honored Tuesday night after aiding in the arrest of two suspects in the murder of a mother at a south suburban ATM.

The officer was on a Sunday morning patrol when he spotted a car that was wanted in connection with the murder, and police were able to make an arrest.

As Officer Eduardo Gonzales pulled into a food truck lot in Harvey on Nov. 5, with his body camera rolling, his heart was already pounding.

Down the road on patrol in Posen, he'd just spotted a car he knew looked suspicious, and was running the plates.

"The paint kind of looked a little off, looked like painted with a hand roller," Gonzales said. "Beneath it a little bit of red. I knew from prior intelligence there was a vehicle used in a homicide and an armed robbery spree, and it was being painted different colors."

Officers were looking for a red Lexus sedan, but the vehicle Gonzales spotted was blue - sort of.

A day earlier, Jonnie Angel Klein, a suburban single mother, had been shot and killed at a robbery in nearby Worth, and the car he was watching matched the description.

He pulled off to the side, and called over the radio far and wide for backup.

SEE MORE: Worth shooting: New details about suspects in mother's ATM murder revealed in court

"At that time I did a sharp left and kind of hid because I knew most likely this was going to be the homicide vehicle from Worth," Gonzales said.

Soon, state troopers rolled up.

"They're like, 'are you sure it's this car?' I'm like, 'it's this car,'" Gonzales said. "I said 'this is it. We've got to take initiative.'"

The officers collectively moved in.

From there, everything happened fast.

Jason and Tamara Johnson were both arrested and later charged with Klein's murder.

"Subsequent search of the vehicle yielded multiple handguns, one of which was later determined to be a weapon used in the homicide," Posen Police Chief Bill Alexander said.

Officer Gonzales is still a probationary officer with Posen's police department; he's only worn a uniform for six months. But his restraint and sharp eye helped thwart a pair of accused murders on the run.

"I think about how the victim passed away; they just left her to die. I knew that these people were ruthless. They were able to get away with armed robberies, homicide. At least, they think so. I knew at that point I had to slow it down for my safety and public safety," Gonzales said.

He's now the proud recipient of the Gallantry Star.

"You have a very bright future," Worth Police Chief Tim Denton said Tuesday.