$1.5 million bond set in Hanover Park slaying

Calling the crime calculated, a judge set bond Saturday at $1.5 million for a 23-year-old Aurora man accused of shooting a former girlfriend to death in a Hanover Park parking lot.

Sergio Hernandez, of 559 High St., Aurora, was charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of Rocio Munez-Ramos, 26, of Elgin.

Assistant State's Attorney Ruth Howes said Hernandez approached Munez-Ramos around 8:11 p.m. Nov. 25, as she sat in her car in a shopping center in the 1800 block of Irving Park Road. Munez-Ramos worked at a beauty salon in the center and had just locked up for the night, authorities said.

Munez-Ramos, who Howes said broke up with Hernandez last fall, was removing items from the passenger seat to allow her new boyfriend room to sit. That's when Hernandez shot her in the left side of the head and ran away, Howes said.

Munez-Ramos was pronounced dead at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates; an autopsy confirmed she died of a single gunshot to the head. The death was ruled a homicide.

During police questioning, Howes said, Hernandez admitted to driving his truck to the parking lot, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and having a black semi-automatic revolver.

Police said Hernandez later attempted to burn the clothes he was wearing at the time of the crime.

An uncle attending Saturday's bond hearing said Hernandez finished high school in his native Mexico, moved to Aurora about five years ago and did not have much contact with family in the area.

Hernandez is due back in court at 9 a. m. Dec. 19. He is being held at the Cook County jail at 26th and California in Chicago.

The murder was the second in Hanover Park in a week. Police say the Nov. 20 stabbing death of Vatsala Thakkar outside another strip mall was unrelated. One man and two teens have been charged in that attack.