Arrest made in 1995 double murder of Marine brothers in Cicero

CHICAGO - Nearly 30 years after two brothers were shot and killed outside their suburban home, Cicero police have arrested a suspect in a decades-old double murder case.

What we know:

Daniel Flores, 49, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the 1995 deaths of John Fields, 22, and Michael Fields, 19 — both U.S. Marines. 

The brothers were fatally shot on April 12, 1995, near their home at 29th Street and 50th Court in Cicero.

"For the past 30 years, almost to the day, our detectives diligently worked to investigate this crime," said Cicero Police Chief Thomas Boyle.

Cicero police said Flores fled the country shortly after the killings and had been living in Mexico. With the help of the U.S. Marshals Service, he was located in 2023 and extradited to the U.S. this week after a two-year legal battle.

This arrest gives the Fields family some much-needed closure after all these years. 

"Myself, I’m a prior military person. I also took that kind of personal. So, it's very rewarding," said Cicero Police Deputy Superintendent of Investigations Francisco Diaz. "Hopefully it brings some closure to the family, who I cannot say enough of how supportive they have been and patient through this investigation."

The backstory:

Police said the case was reopened in 2013. A year later, investigators tracked down a key witness who provided crucial evidence identifying Flores as the shooter. 

"Previous detectives have attempted for a long time to locate her, but she had a relationship with a person of interest at the time," said Diaz.

Authorities did not comment in detail on a motive, saying only that the attack followed a prior altercation.

What's next:

Flores remains in custody and is expected to appear in court on May 2nd.