COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Police officers following up on a car theft noticed that the man they shared an elevator ride with had a trash can.
They soon found out why: He was going to use it to get rid of his girlfriend's body, prosecutors said.
Robert Hill, 33, allegedly admitted to suffocating 56-year-old Sandra Fellows Tuesday during an argument in their Montclare apartment. He returned the next day, prosecutors said, with a large trash can to dispose of her body.
Police came to the apartment building after spotting Fellows' car, which she had reported stolen after her granddaughter failed to return it. As officers headed to Fellows' apartment Wednesday afternoon, hoping to talk about her recovered car, they ended up taking the same elevator as Hill and his trash can, prosecutors said.
As everyone stepped off on the fourth floor, the officers began to look for Fellows' apartment — and Hill made a beeline for it, Assistant State's Attorney Akash Vyas said during a bond hearing Friday.
By the time police reached Fellows' front door, it was open, and Hill still had the garbage can, Vyas said.
Hill told police his girlfriend had died the night before, prosecutors said. When the officers asked for documentation, Hill told them he didn't have any paperwork; he was just there to dispose of the body, Vyas said.
Police entered the apartment in the 6600 block of West Belden Avenue and found Fellows face up, with blood on her face. Hill had ripped out the woman's dentures so she couldn't bite him, Vyas said.
Officers later learned that Fellows had been on the phone with her goddaughter when Fellows and Hill began arguing Tuesday, according to prosecutors. The goddaughter heard a struggle before the call ended, Vyas said.
Hill admitted he suffocated Fellows because he was angry she'd received money from a life insurance policy and didn't tell him about it, police and prosecutors said.
After the slaying, Hill allegedly took Fellows' car. Her granddaughter had returned the vehicle after it was reported stolen, Vyas said, but Fellows hadn't notified police.
Hill drove to his mother's house, according to prosecutors, where he left the car in the street with loud music playing.
He allegedly told Fellows' godmother that he and Fellows "had gotten into it," Vyas said.
Hill was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder.
Cook County Judge Maria Kuriakos-Ciesil ordered him held on $3 million bail.
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