Baltazar Perez-Estrada, left, is accused of killing his wife, Maricela Simon Franco, right. (Mug shot from County of DuPage; victim’s photo from GoFundMe)
A Mexican national is accused of stabbing his wife in their suburban Chicago apartment dozens of times, nearly decapitating her, in front of their two children on Easter after he found out she had a boyfriend about two weeks after he crossed into the U.S.
Baltazar Perez-Estrada, 33, was charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his wife, Maricela Simon Franco, 26, following a fight at her apartment, prosecutors said in a news release.
“The extremely violent end to a young mother’s life is something that should touch us all,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said.
The incident happened on March 31 at 10 p.m. when Perez-Estrada and Franco got into an argument, and he stabbed her all over her body, authorities said. The following day, Perez-Estrada walked into the Carol Stream Police Department and told investigators he did it, authorities said. He was charged with alien inadmissibility and given a future court date, officials said.
“First and foremost, I offer my sincerest condolences to Maricela’s surviving family and friends on their loss and wish them strength as they continue their lives without the love and support provided by Maricela,” Berlin said.
Carol Stream Chief of Police Don Cummings said the Police Department stands by the victim’s family and friends as they mourn.
“Not only has this senseless and brutal act removed Maricela from their lives, but it has robbed two young children of their mother,” Cummings said.
A GoFundMe page set up by the victim’s aunt said she’s now caring for their two children, 7 and 8, who had recently arrived in the country to see their mother.
“They would be left alone without their parents,” the post said.
Perez-Estrada’s arraignment is set for April 25.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene quickly used the case to call out President Joe Biden.
“[President Joe] Biden is letting monsters in our country,” Greene, a congresswoman from Georgia, wrote on X. “Animal is too nice of a word to describe this man [Perez-Estrada]. He’s a monster. [Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro] Mayorkas is running the open border that is letting these things in America. When we deliver the articles, [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer better hold a trial.”
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., has called the immigrant crime narrative racist, The National Desk reported.
“It’s not true,” Garcia said. “Donald Trump is out here saying that we’re poisoning the blood of this country, and the facts actually don’t bear that out.”
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