An Old Town man intended to rob a Walgreens store in Wicker Park, but the crime escalated to murder when an employee tried to push him away, police said Tuesday afternoon.
Around 9:30 Sunday morning, 18-year-old Sincere Williams walked into the store at 1372 North Milwaukee intending to commit a robbery, Area Five Detective Commander Eric Winstrom said. Williams approached 32-year-old Olga Maria Calderon from behind and grabbed her by the neck as she stocked shelves, Winstrom continued. Calderon pushed him away, and Williams then stabbed her repeatedly, he said.
Williams then walked out of the store without taking anything, Winstrom continued. Police found a knife and mask that the assailant used near the store. Detectives reportedly pieced together a series of video streams that tracked Williams from the crime scene to his residence on the 1400 block of North Sedgwick. Cops arrested him there around 8 p.m. Sunday, according to a source.
Detectives “strongly believe” Williams is responsible for two recent pharmacy robberies in the area, including another robbery of the store where Calderon was killed, Winstrom said.
“Whatever set him off…it just immediately turned from a robbery that quickly to a brutal killing” on Sunday, Winstrom continued.
Williams reportedly suffered cuts during the attack and sought treatment at Northwestern Memorial Hospital before he was arrested.
CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan praised the department’s technology center for piecing together the video trail that allowed police to charge Williams.
“We don’t have any eyewitnesses in this case,” Deenihan said, adding that video technology helped fill the void.
Williams turned 18 on July 4, according to Winstrom: “We believe he committed at least three robberies since then.”
Williams is due in bond court Wednesday.
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