Son Fatally Shoots Father In Des Plaines During Argument: Police

DES PLAINES, IL — A Des Plaines man accused of shooting his father is facing felony first degree murder charges, according to a news release from the Des Plaines Police Department. Des Plaines police officers were called at 8:38 a.m. Monday to the Town and Country Mobile Home Park in the 800 block of E. Oakton Street for a domestic disturbance involving a father and his adult son, the news release said.

According to police, officers got to the area and spoke with the victim's 10-year-old daughter who they said ran to the neighbor next door to call 911 because her father and brother were fighting.

Officers went inside the home and found the father, 54-year-old Martin Chavez lying on the bedroom floor with several gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the news release. The son, 22-year-old Martin Chavez-Lomeli Jr. left the home before police arrived, and officers were able to get information on the car that the son possibly drove off in, police added.

Police contacted the resource officer at Maine West High School and advised them of the ongoing situation at the mobile home park due because the park borders the east side of Maine West's property, according to the news release. Police added that Maine West administration and staff took appropriate security measures to ensure the safety of the students.

Police searched the area and found Chavez-Lomeli Jr. at 9:23 a.m. driving his car near Forest Ave. at Wolf Road, according to the release. Police stopped the car in the 1100 block of E. Oakton St., and arrested Chavez-Lomeli Jr.

Several search warrants were obtained to collect evidence from the scene and from the car used to leave the area, according to police.

Des Plaines detectives and the forensics team from the Major Case Assistance Team (MCAT) arrived to process the scene for evidence, according to police. The gun used in this case was recovered from the car that Chavez-Lomeli Jr. had been driving, the release said. Chavez-Lomeli Jr. didn't have a Firearms Owners Identification Card (FOID), nor did his father, according to police.

Chavez-Lomeli Jr. was interviewed by detectives and admitted to shooting his father several times with a handgun he had illegally purchased, the news release said. According to police, Martin Chavez-Lomeli Jr. was reportedly engaged in a long-standing argument with his father which culminated with the murder of his father. The 10-year-old daughter didn't witness the shooting because she had left the home before it happened.

On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorneys reviewed the case Tuesday and approved felony first degree murder charges against Chavez-Lomeli Jr, according to the news release. His bond hearing is expected to take place Wednesday in Skokie.

Patch will update this piece as new information becomes available.