Palatine man charged in girlfriend's shooting death, police say

PALATINE, Ill. (WLS) -- A man has been charged with murdering his girlfriend in the north suburbs, police said.

Palatine police said officers responded to the 1700-block of North Hicks Road just before 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 for a well-being check.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

There, officers found 42-year-old Fatima Lizeth Escalante Matamoros with a single gunshot wound to the head. The Palatine Fire Department transported the victim to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Immediately after the shooting, Palatine Police identified Escalante Matamoros' boyfriend, 43-year-old Sergio E. Velasquez Fuentes, as a person of interest.

Velasquez Fuentes fled the scene before officers arrived, but Streamwood police found him the following morning.

Velasquez Fuentes was released from Palatine police custody without charges pending further investigation on Dec. 2, but he remained a person of interest in the shooting.

On Dec. 13, Palatine police obtained an arrest warrant for Velasquez Fuentes for first-degree murder and learned that he was in federal custody for an unrelated matter.

Palatine police detectives took Velasquez Fuentes into custody on Jan. 6. He was charged with first-degree murder.

Following a detention hearing on Tuesday, Velasquez Fuentes will remain in custody until his next scheduled court date on Jan. 29.