URBANA, ILLINOIS: An Illinois man is facing murder charges for allegedly killing a 61-year-old woman during carjacking.
Police officers found the woman unresponsive with a zip tie around her neck on the morning of August 30 in Harwood Heights Ill.
The victim, identified as Ma Operio, was rushed to a medical facility and was earlier said to be critical, police said. However, she died from her injuries on Sunday, September 3, after spending days on life support, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Reese Miller, 24, of Urbana, is accused by police of carjacking the woman.
When was Reese Miller arrested?
According to the authorities, police claimed a witness heard “grunts” and saw a man in a black hoodie on top of the victim who then got in the car and drove off.
Besides, they obtained ring camera footage which showed a man resembling Miller wearing the same clothes he was later arrested in.
Harwood Heights police said Miller was found in the stolen vehicle hours later from Crete, where he was arrested.
After he was read his Miranda rights, Miller confessed to the crime, said police. He was initially charged with attempted murder and aggravated carjacking, but it is now upgraded to first-degree murder after Operio died.
Reese Miller left a note in the victim's car
According to Cook County prosecutors, Miller apologized for hurting anyone in a note that he left in Operio’s car. “I’m deeply sorry for hurting anyone at the moment, it seemed to be the only choice,” the note reportedly said. “I didn’t want to hurt people. It was never something I ever thought possible until the realization of reality hit me.”
Where is Miller now?
Miller is currently being held at Cook County Jail and is due to appear in court on September 22. He is being held without bond, according to jail records.
ABC 7 reported that Miller's public defender said he suffers from complex post-traumatic stress disorder.
What did the victim's mother say about the crime?
Operio's mom Maria Gimeno told WGNTV that her daughter had just returned from vacation in Texas when she was cleaning her car on Wednesday morning.
"They said that when she was laying on the pavement she was already dead", Gimeno told the outlet.
"They revived her when they took her to the emergency room and then she was brain dead. She was a great person, everybody loves her. I pray to god what happened to her happens to him," she added.
Operio's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with the funeral expenses.
Harwood Heights Police Department said in a statement, "The safety of the community, its residents and all stakeholders is of the utmost priority of the Harwood Heights Police Department. At this time there are no other known threats to the community. As the investigation is ongoing, anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Harwood Heights Police Department."
