Person in custody in killing of Pennsylvania woman in Schiller Park

FOX 32 / SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE - A person of interest is facing charges of fleeing police in connection with the fatal shooting of a 47-year-old woman last week in northwest suburban Schiller Park.

Quetcy Benitez and her 19-year-old son, both of Pennsylvania, were found about 11:50 a.m. Wednesday inside a vehicle that crashed into a tree in the 9500 block of Lawrence, according to Schiller Park police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Both had suffered gunshot wounds. Benitez was pronounced dead at the scene, and her son was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and later released, authorities said. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Schiller Park police, working with the West Suburban Major Crimes Task Force, investigated several leads and identified a person of interest in the case, police said. That person was located and taken into custody after a brief vehicle chase.

The person was charged with one felony count of aggravated fleeing and eluding which resulted in bodily harm, according to Police Lt. Joe DeSimone, who declined to release the person’s name.

“The shooting/crash could be the result of several different possibilities,” DeSimone wrote in an email. “We are investigating this incident from every angle possible.”

DeSimone did not reply to requests for additional information about the circumstances of the shooting.

Less than 100 yards away at an elementary school, 9-year-old Nicole Cychosz was signing yearbooks with friends.

“All of a sudden we went running inside to our classrooms,” Cychosz said.

Her school was put on a brief lockdown.

“I got out of the city because all the shooting that's going on,” said Carmen Antonetty, who lives nearby.

People who live nearby say this isn't something they expect.

“I don't even have words for this,” Melissa Walker said.

“It’s very close to home, especially since we got kids out here. This is a busy street. You would never expect this. Especially out here in Schiller park,” said Philip Slezewski.

“I didn't want to be killed, I love my life,” Cychosz said.

The investigation is ongoing as of Tuesday morning, DeSimone said. Anyone with information was asked to contact investigators at (847) 678-4794.