OEMC employee murder suspect arrested 7 months after Chicago killing, authorities say
Arrest made in murder of OEMC employee
A suspect is in custody in connection with the murder of an OEMC employee. Authorities said the suspect was arrested in Washington state.
CHICAGO - A suspect wanted in the February killing of an Office of Emergency Management and Communications employee has been apprehended after months on the run, bringing what the victim's family says is the first step toward justice.
Suspect arrested in killing of OEMC employee
The backstory:
Da'J Flowers, 36, was found fatally shot multiple times inside an apartment in the 6900 block of North Bell Avenue in February.
Her brother, Demone Flowers, said his sister had expressed concerns for her safety before she was killed. He said she told co-workers at the OEMC that if she failed to report to work, they should check on her.
Authorities identified 32-year-old Darreon Plummer as the suspect. Plummer, who has a criminal record dating to 2015, was considered a fugitive until authorities located him north of Seattle, Washington, about seven months after the killing.
Demone Flowers said the arrest is only the beginning of the family's pursuit of justice.
"It's great that the suspect has been apprehended, but it's still a long journey into justice and justice for my sister. And this is just something that, you know, even afterwards, it still won't fill the void of losing my sister," Flowers said.
"I mean, he took everything, he took my other half. He took, just a good person from this earth to our family or friends to coworkers, to anybody that she came across. You know, when she's in the room, she's a shining light. She was just a positive person. So this is something that I can't get back," he said.
Dig deeper:
The family's grief deepened in July when Demone and Da'J's mother, 53-year-old Surbezz Clark, was fatally shot while standing outside a BP gas station in the 7600 block of South Halsted Street.
Authorities said Clark was an innocent bystander when four men opened fire.
Demone Flowers said he is determined to seek justice for both his sister and mother.
"It's something that I will see to the end. That's not even a without a shadow of a doubt. I'm here step of the way. So I'm here every single step of the way. It will be justice for my sister Da'J Flowers. And it will be justice for my mom, Surbezz Clark. And I'll be here until then," Flowers said.
Demone Flowers said his sister worked for OEMC because she was dedicated to helping others. He said the tragedy is that no one was able to help her escape the relationship that allegedly led to her death.
The Source: The information in this report came from the U.S. Marshals Service, Chicago police, public court records and an interview with Da'J Flowers' brother, Demone Flowers.