CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Attorneys and family members of the 32-year-old woman who was stabbed to death while working at a Walgreens in the Wicker Park neighborhood held an emotional news conference Wednesday morning outside the store.
Olga Calderon’s fiancé, Israel Alvarado, tried to hold back tears standing outside the Walgreens on Milwaukee Avenue.
“This event has shattered our families,” he said, “It has left my children without a mother and left me without the most important person in my life.”
Attorney Frank Summario noted the criminal history of the suspect, 18-year-old Sincere Williams, including the burglary of a gun shop four months earlier.
Williams was placed on electronic monitoring and violated the terms.
"What we want to know is why would the State's Attorney allow a person who robbed a gun store be allowed to walk free and commit other crimes. If it is because he is schizophrenic, as has been reported in the news, then why wasn't he required to be electronically monitored while getting the necessary medical or psychological treatment?" Summario said.
He said the Walgreens was robbed in February. And in March, it removed security.
Summario said he has a lot of questions like, why did Walgreens remove security in March following a robbery? Why didn't employees know the same suspect was alleged to have robbed the same store with the same knife days before he allegedly stabbed Olga Calderon to death? Why was 18-year-old Sincere Williams free?
"In May 2020, the suspect was arrested in Melrose Park for breaking and entering and burglary of a gun store. In August 2020, the suspect had violated conditions of his electronic monitoring, but the court ordered that his monitoring bracelet be removed. The Cook County State's Attorney did not object," he said.
Summario said Calderon’s murder could have been prevented.
Calderon's fiancé Israel Alvarado agreed and said, “this could have been prevented if people cared.”
He said there were so many dominos that fell that led to her murder.
Alvarado also said some business owners along Milwaukee Avenue were not cooperative with detectives investigating the Sept. 6 murder.
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Calderon was stocking shelves that Sunday morning when, police said, Sincere Williams approached from behind, grabbed her and then stabbed her repeatedly.
He was tracked by blood, discarded clothing, and a discarded knife, to an apartment complex where he was arrested.
The family has not yet filed a wrongful death lawsuit.