Almost exactly one year ago, Adrian Soto allegedly killed his girlfriend’s ex in front of multiple witnesses in a grocery parking lot in Chicago. But, even though officials say the murder was captured on video and was seen by people who know Soto personally, he was not charged with the crime until this week.
In the interim, prosecutors say, Soto shot up his ex-girlfriend’s house, killing a man sleeping inside.
He is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder and a host of other felonies.
Picking up the kids
On the afternoon of November 7, 2021, Soto rode along with his girlfriend as she went to pick up her children from her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Narolewski, in the Mariano’s parking lot, 3145 South Ashland. Narolewski arrived with his mother, and Soto’s girlfriend walked across the lot to speak with them, leaving Soto in the car, prosecutor Erin Cooper said.
She soon returned to the car with the children and Narolewski.
As they approached her vehicle, Soto stepped out, began arguing with Narolewski, then took out a gun and shot him six times in the face and body, killing him, Cooper said. Narolewski, 22, was unarmed.
Soto, 18, ran from the scene, dropping his gun along the way and changing out of his hoodie in an alley, according to Cooper. Police recovered the weapon and the clothing. Investigators determined that the gun Soto ditched was used in the murder, which was captured on video.
During a bail hearing this week, Cooper stated that investigators discovered gunshot residue on the hoodie Soto was wearing and Soto’s DNA on the murder weapon. According to Cooper, several witnesses identified him as the murderer.
Yet, despite allegedly having video and eyewitnesses to support their case, prosecutors did not charge Soto with the murder until this week. The reason for the delay is not known.
While the murder investigation was ongoing, Soto allegedly killed another man on January 26, 2022, and was charged within days.
Birthday party livestream
In that case, Soto allegedly saw a Facebook stream of his ex-girlfriend celebrating her birthday with her new boyfriend and several family members. The party ended, and everyone either went to bed or left for their own homes, prosecutors said.
While they were sleeping, Soto sent a series of Snapchat messages to his ex-girlfriend, prosecutor James Murphy said during a January bail hearing.
In the messages, Soto told her that she saw her cuddling on the couch with her new boyfriend, a member of a rival gang, and said that if he couldn’t have her, no one could, according to Murphy. Another message said she and her new boyfriend would “catch shots.”
At around 2:33 a.m., Soto drove to his ex’s home and opened fire, shattering windows and splintering a doorframe, Murphy said. A man sleeping in one of the bedrooms, 31-year-old Hector Flores, was struck by a bullet and died.
Later that day, the police caught Soto as he got into a stolen car outside his home.
Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge into an occupied building, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon on January 28.
Soto, who has no criminal background, was held without bail by Judge Susana Ortiz in January. Judge Mary Marubio also held him without bail on the November 2021 murder charge this week.