Man Charged In Double Homicide Of Beach Park Couple

WAUKEGAN, IL — Authorities identified a man on parole for carjacking murdered a married couple after they returned to their Beach Park home last month.

Carlos Rodas Perez, 52, and Mercedes Rodas, 49, were found fatally shot in the garage of their home in the 10000 block of Wadsworth Road shortly before 9:45 p.m. Dec. 8 by Lake County sheriff's deputies.

A neighbor reported seeing Mr. Rodas on the ground, as well as someone running away, according to Sgt. Chris Covelli, spokesperson for the sheriff's office.

The first deputy on scene and Beach Park Fire Department paramedics attempted to revive the couple, but they were both pronounced dead at the scene. Covelli said three teams of police dogs searched the area but were unable to find any suspects.

According to an GoFundMe campaign established to help the Rodas family, the couple were honest and hardworking people who lives were cut short as they came home from a regular day of work.

Weeks later, detectives got a break from the crime lab. Forensic evidence retrieved from the scene of the double homicide by evidence technician led investigators to a Waukegan man.

Timothy Triplett, 34, of the 2100 block of Georgetown Lane, was arrested at his home Wednesday morning on an arrest warrant issued the prior day for two counts of first-degree murder. He was ordered held in lieu of the $500,000 cash portion of his bond.

“Two lives were violently and senselessly lost last month at the hands of another," said Sheriff John Idleburg, in a statement after Triplett's arrest.

"I am very proud of our detectives for their relentless pursuit seeking justice for a husband and wife who were murdered," he said. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”

According to court records and past reports, Triplett was paroled from state prison in March 2020, less than 14 months after pleading guilty to attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon in connection with an October 2016 shooting in Waukegan.

In that incident, Triplett and another man followed a woman home from work and confronted her at gunpoint near her home, ordering her out of her car, authorities said. When she started honking the horn, the other man shot into the car, striking the woman in the leg and hitting Triplett in the groin.

Prosecutors agreed to drop charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery in exchange for his guilty plea in the apparent botched carjacking. Triplett was sentenced to six years in prison, with credit for the 20 months he spent in jail awaiting trial and the opportunity for parole after three years.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Triplett has several other adult convictions stemming from stolen vehicle charges dating back when he was 17. He is due back in court for a status hearing Tuesday.