Family Of 6 Killed Inside Chicago Home: Targeted Murder

A family of 6 was found murdered inside their Chicago home, in what seems to be a targeted act, around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, reported ABC News.

A spokesperson for the police said the murders didn’t seem like a random burglary resulting in violence, but what appeared to be a targeted murder. It is a mystery why this family was targeted.

Four adults, two men and two women, were found, along with two boys, 10 and 13. ABC News states the family was found dead during a well-being check requested by a co-worker after the couple’s son did not appear to work for two days.

The victims were identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as Alexis Cruz, 10, Leonardo Cruz, 13, Maria Herminia Martinez, 32, Noe Martinez Jr., 38, Rosaura Martinez, 58, and Noe Martinez Sr., 62. The autopsies of the victims revealed they had been stabbed, beaten, and one was shot multiple times.

When police arrived at the scene and peaked through a window, they saw one body laying on the floor with what appeared to be stab wounds. He immediately told dispatchers that this was going to be a crime scene.

Interim Chicago Police Superintendent John Escalante told NBC News that he doesn’t believe the neighborhood faced a threat.

“I would understand that people would have a heightened sense of concern but really there is nothing at this point that leads us to believe that this was a random act that this was somebody that broke into the house.”

Originally, it was thought to be a murder-suicide, but after further investigation, they are ruling it as a homicide. The investigation continues as what exactly happened inside the family’s home. Police did say there was no evidence of forced entry into the home.

Friends of the family did say the victims were a “good family,” and nobody realized the family had any problems.

The family had been living in Chicago for nearly a decade. However, they were originally from the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Family of the victims started a GoFundMe page to help send the bodies to Mexico, and is currently at double the amount asked for, which the family is very grateful for.

The police are currently investigating the family members to try to determine who would have done this to them and why. The police say a family member could have been involved, or it could have been a domestic incident or a robbery, the Denver Post reports.

A neighbor of the family, Mayra Diego, felt bad because she wondered if there was anything she could have done or if she could have noticed something was wrong. Mayra described the family as quiet and peaceful.

A family member from Texas, Noemi Martinez, 29, was on a phone interview with the police, shared the Denver Post.

“They were a normal family. Everything was fine.”

Martinez shared with the Police that the mother was a housewife and the father had been working at Chicago factory.

The police and investigators are doing as much as they can to find out who did this, as well as the motive towards what appears to be a targeted murder. The remains of the family members are to be sent to family in Mexico so that the victims can have a proper funeral and burial, Azucena Martinez explains on the GoFundMe Page.

[Photo By Scott Olson/Getty Images]