A Cook County Sheriff’s Office correctional officer and his wife, a Chicago police officer, were found shot to death inside a home in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood Sunday morning, officials said.
According to Cara Smith, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Javier Acevedo and his wife Veronica were found dead about 5 a.m. inside their home in the 5300 block of South Austin Avenue on the Southwest Side. She said the death is being investigated as a murder-suicide.
Police said Javier Acevedo apparently shot his wife, then turned the gun on himself
“It is a tremendous tragedy any day, particularly for Easter Sunday,” Smith said.
Smith said that the two, both 50 years old, were found inside a bedroom at the home. Smith said someone inside the home had called 911 after the shooting. The area around the home was crowded with police officers early Sunday morning.
Smith said that Javier Acevedo was a 25-year veteran and worked at the county jail.
Acevedo has worked for Chicago police for 18 years, according to sources.
Her supervisor, Lt. Michael Mulkerin, said she was a regular working police officer who occasionally worked the desk.
“I’ve had people calling all morning saying ‘Oh my God. What happened?’ She was well liked.”
Edward Cronin, a priest at St. Jane de Chantal Roman Catholic Church, said Javier and Veronica Acevedo regularly attended services at the church, which is located at 53rd Street and South Austin Avenue, about a half block north of the couple’s home.
Cronin, who has been at the church for four years, said he’s known the Acevedos for a couple years, though they’ve been members of the church for some time. He also said he knew they were both in law enforcement.
“They were very committed, dedicated people … struggling to understand the mission of their work and trying to cope with the violence,” Cronin said.
“They were both good people and both trying hard to be good Christian Catholic people. They were very faithful people.”
He called the incident’s occurrence on Easter Sunday, “so, so sad, but again I just thank God that we have Easter.”
Marilyn Koperniak, a parishioner at the church and member of the Lady’s Guild at the church, was not sure whether Veronica Acevedo was the woman she knew from the Lady’s Guild, but when another officer from the guild confirmed it, she broke into tears.
“I had a feeling,” she said. “I didn’t know her very well, but she was a very nice lady.”
Police are conducting a homicide investigation. The Chicago Police Department Office of News Affairs had no other information.
Source: Chicago Tribune
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