01 - Local News - Chicago

Manhunt for groom who killed Burbank bride extends nationwide

Fri, 18 May 2012 01:51:00 GMT

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — The nationwide hunt for a man accused of killing his new bride intensified Thursday, as the FBI issued an unlawful flight warrant for Arnoldo Jimenez.

Police already had a first-degree murder warrant for Jimenez, who married Estrella Carrera on Friday at Chicago's City Hall and allegedly stabbed her to death just hours later. Carrera's body, still clad in the silver sequined cocktail dress she wore to celebrate their wedding, was found in her bathtub.

The new "unlawful flight to avoid prosecution" warrant gives the FBI more power to follow tips on Jimenez's whereabouts, said Capt. Joseph Ford of the Burbank Police Department, located in suburban Chicago.

Police have asked authorities in Texas and U.S. border officials to join the hunt for Jimenez, who may have ties to Texas. Authorities would not confirm whether he has left the country.

Police and FBI officials were poring over more than 200 tips, Ford said.

"We are following every lead no matter where it takes us," Ford said. "We will not stop looking, and this will not go away."

The sheriff in Hidalgo County, Texas, which is on the Mexican border, said a "be on the lookout" advisory indicates Jimenez may he headed for Mexico. Federal border officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection also say they have the advisory and Jimenez's photo.

Authorities began looking for Jimenez soon after Carrera's family reported that she failed to pick up her two children Saturday as she had arranged. The family had been unable to reach Carrera or Jimenez, so they asked police to check on her well-being at her apartment in the suburb of Burbank.

Police found Carrera's body Sunday afternoon in the bathtub, still clothed in the dress she also may have worn at her wedding ceremony.

That day, the bride's family received a haunting phone call from a relative of her new husband. Jimenez's sister told them he had called her and tearfully said he had left his bride bleeding after a "bad fight," Carrera's sister told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Jimenez was charged with first-degree murder, leaving the bride's family searching for answers as to what befell the 26-year-old mother of two in the hours after she hastily married her on-and-off boyfriend.

Most of Carrera's family disapproved of her relationship with Jimenez, even though he was the father of her 2-year-old son.

Jimenez had hit and bruised Carrera in the past, an older sister, Jazmin Carrera, told the AP. Police also said family members reported incidents of violence while the couple was dating.

Jazmin Carrera described 6-foot, 220-pound Jimenez as "very possessive" and jealous. She said she doesn't understand why her sister married the 30-year-old Jimenez in what seemed like a rushed ceremony — or why she married him at all.

"That's the question everyone's asking themselves," Jazmin Carrera said.

She received a text message from her sister Friday, inviting her to join them and their friends at a Mexican restaurant and a nightclub to celebrate the nuptials. She didn't join the festivities.

"It was just all of a sudden," Jazmin Carrera said. "She didn't give us enough notice."

On Sunday, relatives heard from a sister of Jimenez that he had called that day, Jazmin Carrera told the AP.

"She said that he was crying and he was really nervous," she said. "He said they had a really bad fight and he had left her bleeding."

Jimenez hung up on his sister and wouldn't pick up when she called him back, Carrera said.

Police in Burbank said they are aware of the account and are looking into it.

Police are pleading with Jimenez to turn himself in "for the sake of his family and especially his children," Ford said. "I am sure they are very concerned for his well-being."

Ford said Jimenez was previously arrested for domestic violence in another city in a case that did not involve Carrera. Police don't know what Jimenez does for a living, although he was last known to be driving a black 2006 Maserati, an expensive car.

"We do not believe Jimenez is a danger to others, but we certainly do not know his mind frame at the present time," Ford told the AP.

Since the killing likely took place mere hours after the couple went to Carrera's apartment, the suspect had a day to flee the metropolitan area or even the state, Ford said.

The victim's sister said she is taking things "a day at a time."

"The emotions are just on and off," Jazmin Carrera said. "It's unbelievable one minute, and then it hits you and becomes real."

AP writer Christopher Sherman contributed to this report from McAllen, Texas.

PHOTOS: Protesters outside Obama's headquarters

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:09:00 GMT

Protesters rode their bikes from the financial district to President Obama's headquarters at the prudential plaza to rally against the keystone pipeline. Some of them splashed themselves with pretend oil and laid on the ground as part of their protest.

PHOTOS: Inside the Multi-Agency Communications Center

Thu, 17 May 2012 20:30:00 GMT

What's called "The Multi-Agency Communications Center (MACC)" is set up and ready to go.

It's where several dozens law enforcement and social service agencies will take emergency calls during the NATO Summit.

We were allowed to take pictures of parts of" inside" the Communication Center, as long as we did not reveal where it is located.

VIDEO: Live stream of NATO protests

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:05:00 GMT

NBC 5 has a 24/7 live stream of their newscasts, breaking coverage and downtown Chicago for the NATO summit and protests.

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

VIDEO: Judge releases William Balfour interrogation video

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:43:00 GMT

For the first time we can hear what William Balfour told police about the murders of Jennifer Hudson's family members.

A Cook County judge allowed the release of the video showing Balfour's 2008 interview with detectives -- including when they asked him about Hudson's brother, Jason.

At the time of the interview, Balfour was still married to Jennifer Hudson's sister. He was taken into custody four hours after her mother and brother were killed inside the Hudson family home in Englewood.

The body of Hudson's 7-year-old nephew was found three days later.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

EXCLUSIVE: Brightest, darkest moments of Mayor Emanuel's 1st year

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:55:00 GMT

On the anniversary of his inauguration, Chicago's mayor sits down for a one-on-one with FM News and nearly comes to tears as he talks about the hard part of the job.

Surveillance Drone Flying Over Elgin?

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:40:00 GMT

Is that a surveillance drone flying over Elgin? This video was posted to YouTube Monday.

The person who posted it seemed to think it was security measures for NATO.

Tell us what you think. Comment below?

Think you know NATO? Take the NATO quiz

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:14:00 GMT

You know what NATO stands for but how much do you really know about the Alliance? Try taking this tough 10 question quiz and let us know how well you did below.

Click HERE to take the quiz.

PHOTO: 4 Guardian Angels stabbed on Red Line

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:43:00 GMT

Four members of the Guardian Angels were stabbed Tuesday night trying to stop a robbery at the Red Line station at Clark and Division.

Miguel Fuentes says he was on patrol when he saw a man pistol whipping another man and stealing his i-Phone. That’s when Fuentes and three other Angels tackled the thief. As they were wrestling with the robber, another man came up and started
stabbing them.

The two men got away. The Angels got staples and stitches.

Fuentes says if they hadn’t stepped in, the two men could have robbed other people and possibly shot someone.

Fuentes says there were a bunch of witnesses, some who recorded what happened. He urges them to contact police.

**UPDATE**

Chicago police have released surveillance pictures of the two suspects:

Husband of murdered bride called sister about 'bad fight'

Thu, 17 May 2012 02:13:00 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Hours after police found Estrella Carrera stabbed to death in her bathtub, still clad in the silver sequined cocktail dress she wore to celebrate her wedding to her on-and-off boyfriend, her family received a haunting phone call from the groom's family.

Arnoldo Jimenez had called his sister and tearfully told her he had left his bride bleeding after a "bad fight," Carrera's sister said Wednesday.

As a manhunt is under way for Jimenez, who is charged with first-degree murder in Carrera's slaying, the new bride's family is searching for answers to what happened to the 26-year-old mother of two in the hours after she secretly got married at Chicago's City Hall.

Most of Carrera's family disapproved of her relationship with Jimenez, even though he was the father of her 2-year-old son.

Jimenez had hit and bruised Carrera in the past, according to an older sister, Jazmin Carrera, who talked to The Associated Press. Police also said family members reported incidents of violence while the couple was dating.

"That's the question everyone's asking themselves," Jazmin Carrera said.

She got a text message from her sister Friday, inviting her to join them and their friends at a Mexican restaurant and a nightclub to celebrate the nuptials. She didn't join the festivities.

"It was just all of a sudden," Jazmin Carrera said. "She didn't give us enough notice."

Family members became concerned when Estrella Carrera failed to pick up her two children Saturday as she'd arranged. They were unable to reach Carrera or Jimenez by cellphone, so they asked police to check on her well-being at her apartment in the Chicago suburb of Burbank. That's when Carrera's body was found in a bathtub, still clothed in the dress she wore at the wedding reception. Police said she may have worn that dress at the marriage as well.

On Sunday, relatives heard from a sister of Jimenez that he had called that day, Jazmin Carrera told the AP.

"She said that he was crying and he was really nervous," she said. "He said they had a really bad fight and he had left her bleeding."

Jimenez hung up on his sister and wouldn't pick up when she called him back, Carrera said.

The phone call is the first detail to shed light on what evidence investigators may have given a judge to obtain the warrant. Police in Burbank said they are aware of the account and are looking into it.

Police are pleading with Jimenez to turn himself in "for the sake of his family and especially his children," Capt. Joseph Ford of

the Burbank Police Department told the AP. "I am sure they are very concerned for his well-being."

Ford said Jimenez was previously arrested for domestic violence in another city in a case that did not involve Carrera. Po

lice don't know what Jimenez does for a living, although he was last known to be driving a black 2006 Maserati, an expensive car.

"We do not believe Jimenez is a danger to others, but we certainly do not know his mind frame at the present time," Ford told the AP.

Since the killing likely took place mere hours after the couple went to Carrera's apartment, the suspect had a day to flee the metropolitan area or even the state, Ford said. More than 30 law enforcement agencies and the FBI are hunting for him, he said.

The victim's sister said she is taking things "a day at a time."

"The emotions are just on and off," Jazmin Carrera said. "It's unbelievable one minute, and then it hits you and becomes real."