An Old Town man is in police custody, suspected of murdering a 32-year-old Walgreens employee in Wicker Park over the weekend, according to a source. The suspect, age 18, was arrested at his home on the 1400 block of North Sedgwick around 8 p.m. Sunday, roughly 10 hours after the murder, the source said.
Investigators are continuing to piece together a case, which includes a significant amount of video footage.
CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan confirmed during a Tuesday morning press conference that a suspect is in custody. He said police hope to secure charges later today.
Cops were exploring the possibility that the victim, Olga Marie Calderon, had recently refused to sell cigarettes to the suspect because he didn’t have an ID, the source said. Deenihan, however, offered no information about the possible motive. The store and another pharmacy had also been recently robbed by a knife-wielding man, according to police.
Calderon’s co-workers found her lying in a pool of blood inside the store at 1372 North Milwaukee around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, according to police. The store had not been robbed, and no merchandise was taken, police said Sunday.
On GoFundMe, Calderon’s sister called her “a remarkable woman. She was the world’s very best mom, a loving partner, a dedicated daughter, my big sister, and so much more. Her entire existence revolved around her little family.”
Calderon had two children, an 11-year-old daughter, and a 3-year-old son, according to the fundraising post. The online campaign had raised nearly $31,000 as of late Tuesday morning.