COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Berwyn man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death told police "she brought it upon herself," prosecutors said.
Emilio Izguirre, 33, was charged with first-degree murder and home invasion in connection with the fatal stabbing of Joanna Lopez, 26, who was killed on Sunday.
Izguirre broke into his ex-girlfriend's home in the 1700 block of West 21st Place about 6:45 a.m. Sunday as she and her new boyfriend were sleeping, according to Assistant State's Attorney Amanda Pillsbury and police.
He then yelled at her and started punching her boyfriend, who got away and ran to call for help, Pillsbury said at a bond hearing Tuesday.
When police arrived at the home, Izguirre, covered in blood, opened the door and closed it, Pillsbury said. Cops forced their way in and found Lopez face down on the floor, covered in blood with a knife sticking out of her body.
Izguirre told police that "she brought it upon herself," Pillsbury said.
Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:50 a.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
Izguirre cried quietly as his public defender, Marijane Placek, described the killing as "a crime of great passion."
Izguirre, of 3200 block of South Kenilworth Avenue in Berwyn, was ordered held without bail by Judge Israel Desierto because he authorities said was out on bail on a pending aggravated battery case at the time of the killing.
