Boyfriend charged in murdered pregnant Hanover Park woman

Family members say 31-year-old Norma Favela had her hands full, taking care of her two little girls, preparing for a third child on the way and working a full-time job while going back to beauty school.

That ended early Thursday morning when she was brutally murdered inside her Hanover Park home.

Her boyfriend is charged with the murder.

Bond was set today at $10 million for Rafael Alvarado, 32, who appeared in Cook County bond court in Rolling Meadows to face one count of first-degree murder and one count of intentional homicide of an unborn child.

The police and Mayor Rod Craig say a domestic dispute ended when Favela was killed at about 12:30 a.m. where they were both living on the 1700 block of Linden Avenue.

"I can't imagine anyone beating their girlfriend," Craig said. "This is obviously a breakdown in our moral fiber."

Favela's aunt, Angela Luchuga, said her niece was the mother of two girls, ages 3 and 10, and was due to give birth to her third child within the next two months. Authorities said they believe Alvarado was the father of the child Favela was carrying when she died.

Favela also had an estranged husband living in Mexico, Luchuga said.

"(The suspect) is openly admitting it," Craig said about Alvarado. "The police feel they have the right guy."

"My understanding is that by the time police got there, it was way too late to save the baby," Craig said.

Officers with the Major Crimes Assistance Team walked in and out of the small ranch house all morning, carrying garbage bags full of evidence past children's toys and bikes on the lawn.

Hanover Park Deputy Police Chief David Webb said officers were called to the house at about 12:30 a.m. after someone inside called 911. Craig said the suspect fled to Melrose Park, where he was arrested by Hanover Park police.

Officials from the Cook County medical examiner's office said their office was called to the scene at about 5:30 a.m. but released the name and age of the woman only at 1 p.m.

Police have not released information such as time or cause of death.

Neither police nor the medical examiner's office would confirm Favela was beaten.

It's also unclear who is caring for Favela's two children.

Neighbors, who watched the events unfold all morning, described the woman as nice and said she was often seen walking with her children.

"I would see the mother and the kids walking to school all the time," neighbor Debra Butler said. "She was a very nice woman."

The killing was another blow to Hanover Park, which has seen a spree of violence since March, and to the neighborhood. The latest murder occurred about two blocks from where 16-year-old Jesus Sanchez was gunned down on May 23.

Several upset residents spoke at Thursday's village board meeting about the violence, demanding to know what action officials are taking.

"I worry about whether I can let my grandchildren play on the front lawn," Pamela May said.

Craig talked about the crime prevention advisory board he assembled and announced a forum will take place Wednesday, June 10, at Laurel Hill Elementary School, near Favela's and Sanchez's homes. Police will brief residents in both English and Spanish about gangs and discuss parenting.

"What happened today is unrelated to the gang situation in town, but it's yet another symptom of something larger going on," Craig said.

• Daily Herald staff writer Christopher Placek contributed to this story.