CAROL STREAM, IL – A gruesome crime has rocked the quiet town of Carol Stream, Illinois. Baltazar Perez-Estrada, an alleged illegal immigrant, stands accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Maricela Simon Franco, 26. The crime was reportedly committed in the presence of their two young children.
On the morning of April 1, 2024, Perez-Estrada walked into the local police department, confessing to the heinous act. The authorities promptly detained him and launched an investigation into the incident.
As the investigation unfolded, it was revealed that Perez-Estrada had crossed the U.S. border from Mexico illegally just two weeks prior. He was charged with alien inadmissibility and was allowed to proceed into the U.S., with a future court date set.
The case prosecutors have painted a horrifying picture of the night of the crime. They allege that a verbal disagreement between Perez-Estrada and Franco escalated into a violent confrontation at their apartment around 10 p.m. Perez-Estrada is accused of stabbing Franco multiple times, resulting in her near decapitation. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The couple’s two children were reportedly in the apartment at the time of the alleged murder.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Carol Stream Chief of Police Don Cummings expressed their condolences to Franco’s family and friends, vowing to seek justice for Franco and reiterating the need for concerted efforts to tackle domestic violence.
On April 7, the court agreed to the state’s request to keep Perez-Estrada in custody pending trial. He has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder and is due back in court on April 25.