Suburban man charged in killing of Chicago OEMC employee after months on the run

The video at the top of this story is dated.

CHICAGO — A man wanted in the February killing of a Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications employee has been brought back to Chicago from Washington state and charged with first-degree murder.

Suspect charged in OEMC employee’s killing

Darreon Plummer, 33, was arrested Wednesday at O’Hare International Airport by Chicago police and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, police said.

Plummer was charged with one felony count of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Da’J Flowers, 36.

Flowers was found unresponsive inside a home in the 6900 block of North Bell Avenue on Feb. 5. Police said she had at least one gunshot wound to the abdomen. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police, Plummer was identified as the suspect following a months-long investigation. He had been located north of Seattle after remaining on the run for about seven months.

What they're saying:

Flowers’ brother, Demone Flowers, said his sister had expressed concerns about her safety before she was killed. He said she told co-workers at OEMC that if she failed to report to work, they should check on her.

"It’s great that the suspect has been apprehended, but it’s still a long journey into justice and justice for my sister," Demone said after Plummer's arrest in Washington. "And this is just something that, you know, even afterwards, it still won’t fill the void of losing my sister."

"I mean, he took everything, he took my other half," he said. "He took, just a good person from this earth to our family or friends to coworkers, to anybody that she came across."

Demone said his sister was a positive person who brought light to the people around her.

Flowers worked for OEMC because she was dedicated to helping others, her brother said.

Her family’s grief deepened in July when their 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 said he is determined to seek justice for both his sister and mother.

"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," he said.

What's next:

Plummer is due in court for a detention hearing Friday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.