COOK COUNTY, IL – An Orland Park man who was shot by Sheriff’s Police as he savagely attacked two women in an unincorporated Lyons Township apartment building has been charged with attempted murder and home invasion, but charges are expected to be upgraded to murder after one of the victims succumbed to her injuries, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11, a Sheriff’s Police officer responded to a report of a domestic violence incident at an apartment building in the 6400 block of Joliet Road. Upon arrival, the officer found Juan Carlos Perez-Abarca, age 35, in a second-floor apartment unit holding a 48-year-old female victim at knife point on the floor. A second victim, a 16-year-old female, was lying motionless on the floor next to him.
The officer gave verbal orders to Perez-Abarca to release the victim. Perez briefly put the knife to his own throat, and then began stabbing the adult female victim again, at which time the officer fired one shot, striking Perez-Abarca in the leg.
The officer then began lifesaving measures on the victims and Perez-Abarca. Both victims were transported to local hospitals. The 48-year-old woman is in serious condition, while the 16-year-old was pronounced deceased at 10:13 p.m. Thursday night.
On Wednesday, Aug. 13, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved two counts of Attempted Murder and one count of Home Invasion.
Perez-Abarca was discharged from the hospital last night. He appeared in a wheelchair at the Bridgeview Courthouse today for his initial appearance, where he was ordered to be held in custody at the Cook County Jail until his next scheduled court date on September 5.
In court, an assistant state’s attorney informed the judge that the 16-year-old victim died of her injuries Thursday night, and that prosecutors would upgrade the charge to murder against the defendant.
The public is reminded the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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