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In a recent incident in Chicago, Kenneth Brown, 44, has been charged with the murder of Maria Roque, 34, following an alleged domestic dispute. The incident occurred on December 13 in the 500 block of North Long Avenue, where Brown reportedly confronted Roque in front of her residence around 6:20 a.m.
According to both Chicago police and court records, an altercation took place, resulting in Brown allegedly firing fatal shots at Roque. The quick police response resulted in Brown's arrest on Friday at the 3100 block of West Harrison Street. He is now charged with first-degree murder.
Roque was immediately taken to Stroger Hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, but despite medical efforts, she was pronounced dead at 6:53 a.m., as confirmed by the Cook County medical examiner.
Roque's family shared that the shooting happened near her home around Long Avenue and Kinzie, with her 8-year-old daughter said to be in a car nearby. The heart-wrenching ordeal continued as Roque's 14-year-old son bravely attempted CPR in a desperate bid to save his mother, but, tragically, his efforts were unsuccessful.
Court records indicate that Roque's children witnessed the tragic shooting.
Maria Roque's attempt for protection against Kenneth Brown
The unfolding tragedy in the case of Maria Roque's death in Chicago reveals distressing details about prior events leading up to the fatal incident. Roque had sought legal protection by obtaining an emergency order against Kenneth Brown on November 7, an indicator of preceding concerns.
Reports of an earlier argument between the two highlight the urgency of Roque's actions. According to the protective order petition obtained by the Chicago Sun Times, a week before the order was granted, Roque and Brown got into a violent altercation that ended with Brown reportedly seizing and throwing Roque to the ground.
Kenneth Brown had allegedly threatened to set fire to Roque's car, vandalize her property, and destroy her belongings.
In response to these threats, Roque sought legal protection and was granted an emergency order on November 7. The order explicitly barred Brown from any contact with Roque, including entering her home, and prohibited harassment, stalking, or intimidation. Additionally, the protective order prevented him from taking their 8-year-old daughter from Roque's care.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime shed light on the distressing timeline of protection orders in Roque's case.
A protection order was initially issued on November 7 against Kenneth Brown. Despite this initial intervention, the order was extended twice, on November 28 and then again on December 13, just hours before Roque's death. On the morning of the shooting, the protection order was extended once more, aiming to provide safety until January 3, 2024.
Further exacerbating the situation, authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Brown the day before Roque's death, citing an alleged violation of the protection order she had against him.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported police papers that show that at around 6:20 a.m., Roque had just put her 4-year-old daughter, who she shared with Kenneth Brown, into the back seat of a rented car while she stood in front of her house. When Brown was said to have emerged, things took a terrifying turn. When Roque noticed him coming, it was said that she shouted and tried to run away, hoping to escape the approaching danger.
Tragically, her efforts to escape proved futile. Brown inflicted multiple gunshot wounds upon Roque. The report indicates that she suffered grievous injuries to her shoulder, chest, and thumb in the terrifying encounter. Before his arrest, police had issued a public plea for assistance in locating Kenneth.
Kenneth Brown charged with murder and Maria Roque’s family speaks out
Speaking to Chicago CBS affiliate WBBM, Maria Roque’s twin brother, Andres Roque, expressed the impact of his sister’s violent passing.
"I want to cry," Andres Roque shared in a heartfelt on-camera interview, "I want to throw things, but I can’t."
Andres Roque revealed that Maria Roque's 8-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son were present during the event. The boy courageously attempted CPR on his mother, telling his uncle, "I tried to save her."
Andres Roque recounted the traumatic experience his nephew faced, stating, "One in the car, and one he heard the shot, and see his own mom on the stairs, trying to breathe."
On Saturday morning, as volunteers led by George McDade, Chairman of the Cook County Crime Stoppers, were preparing to distribute flyers offering a $15,000 reward for information in the Maria Roque case, news of Kenneth Brown's arrest reached them as reported by the Chicago Sun Times. Brown, the ex-boyfriend charged with Maria Roque's murder, was apprehended just in time.
McDade shared that everyone had been actively cooperating, providing crucial information to aid the police investigation.
McDade expressed a sense of closure with the filing of charges against Kenneth Brown. He referred to it as a "sad case, but a good way to end it," acknowledging that the legal proceedings mark a significant step towards accountability.
Kenneth Brown made a court appearance on Sunday, December 31, where he was remanded to the custody of the Cook County sheriff’s office as reported by the Chicago Sun Times.
