COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Brighton Park woman and her boyfriend were murdered by a 19-year-old renter the woman found on Facebook, prosecutors said Friday.
Victims Pricilla Gloria Reyes, 33, and Edwin Eliseco Chuy Cutzal, 31, had been dating for a month when they were fatally shot inside Reyes' apartment in the 2500 block of West 46th Street, prosecutors said.
Reyes often rented out a room in her apartment and looked for renters on Facebook, Assistant State's Attorney Craig Taczy said during a bond hearing.
In early February, prosecutors said, Reyes told a witness she'd been having problems with her most recent renter. About 8:30 p.m. Feb. 5, Reyes called the witness and asked her to come over because Reyes was again having issues with the renter, authorities said.
The friend heard a male voice in the background demanding to know who was on the phone, Taczy said. The line then went dead.
That night, a neighbor heard several loud banging sounds coming from Reyes' apartment. Moments later, Taczy said, a witness saw 19-year-old Leandre Evans running from Reyes' apartment carrying a bag, prosecutors said.
Reyes and Cutzal were found dead inside Reyes' apartment about 7:45 a.m. Feb. 6, police said. Both had been fatally shot.
According to prosecutors, police found a Dollar Tree receipt inside Reyes' apartment that coincided with surveillance footage of Evans leaving a nearby Dollar Tree before the shooting.
Texts on Reyes' phone revealed a conversation between her and "Dre" about renting a room in Reyes' apartment, authorities said. Police were able to link both of Dre's phone numbers to Evans.
Prosecutors also said Evans requested an Uber ride about 8:53 p.m. Feb. 5 a block away from Reyes' apartment.
Evans was arrested this week and charged with first-degree murder. Court records list Evans' most recent address as being in the 5200 block of South Maplewood Avenue.
Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. on Friday denied Evans bail.