Baltazar Pérez-Estrada Showed No Mercy Towards His Wife Maricela Simón Franco
In a horrifying turn of events, the daughters of Maricela Simón Franco are living a nightmare after witnessing their father, Baltazar Pérez-Estrada, fatally stab their mother. Authorities reported that this act of violence was allegedly motivated by jealousy, as Pérez-Estrada violently attacked his wife with a knife, almost decapitating her.
“This brutal and senseless act of violence against Ms. Pérez-Estrada will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” stated Robert Berlin, the State’s Attorney for DuPage County.
Baltazar Pérez, a Mexican immigrant who entered the United States at the end of March to reunite with his daughters and Maricela, whom he had been married to since August 2013, committed this heinous act. However, the family reunion did not go as expected.
Investigations revealed that Estrada had heard rumors about his wife having a boyfriend and wanting to leave him. This information had led to several domestic altercations in the apartment they shared in Carol Stream, Illinois.
On the night of March 31st, things spiraled out of control. A verbal altercation between the couple escalated into a physical confrontation, resulting in Pérez-Estrada stabbing Franco dozens of times in the head, neck, body, and hands, nearly decapitating her. Authorities noted that this was not the first time the suspect had assaulted his wife.
On March 17th, the Carol Stream police responded to a domestic incident at the couple’s apartment, but no criminal charges were filed. Two weeks later, officers returned to find Franco dead at the scene. It took almost 24 hours for authorities to take over the case.
After the incident, Pérez-Estrada took his daughters and sought help from his brother, who, after hearing his disturbing account, turned him over to the authorities.
Pérez-Estrada surrendered to the Carol Stream Police Department on April 1st, 2024, confessing to the stabbing. He will remain in custody as the court denied him pre-trial release.
Facing five counts of first-degree murder for stabbing his wife multiple times, Pérez-Estrada’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 25th, 2024, in front of Judge Mia McPherson. Maricela’s tragic fate serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence. The prosecutor emphasized that the extreme violence that ended the life of a young mother should resonate with everyone.
