Bond set at $3 million for woman in Schaumburg hotel shooting
A Cook County judge set bond at $3 million Wednesday for an Elgin woman charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 29-year-old Rockford man at a Schaumburg hotel.
Upon hearing the bond amount, which requires she post $300,000 for her release, Kristian Branch, of the 300 block of West Chicago Street, collapsed in the courtroom and hit her head on the floor. Her collapse sparked sobs and gasps from about a half dozen of her family members present for the hearing at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.
Paramedics attended to Branch, who was conscious as they wheeled her back to a holding cell.
The 28-year-old woman was charged in the the death of Mario C. Charles, who family members say was her boyfriend of three years. Charles died shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
Police also charged Branch with the attempted murder of a 26-year-old man from St. Paul, Minn., who was shot in the chest but is expected to survive. Branch, who was shot in her right foot during the altercation, also faces a charge of attempted armed robbery.
Early Tuesday, Branch arrived at a Homestead Studio Suites Hotel room, said Assistant State's Attorney Maria McCarthy. Schaumburg police said Tuesday three people were in the room besides the 26-year-old St. Paul man. They included another man and woman from Minnesota and a 27-year-old Louisiana woman who police say has an outstanding bond forfeiture warrant stemming from a prostitution arrest last year in Schaumburg.
Police said Tuesday that Branch went to the room to rob the people there. McCarthy said Branch had shared a different hotel room with one of the women and knew she had received money from a relative.
Fifteen minutes after Branch arrived, Charles knocked on the door and Branch let him in. Some 30 minutes later, Charles went to the bathroom. When he came out, he pointed a gun at the others, McCarthy said.
At the same time, Branch hit a woman and demanded money from her, McCarthy said. Charles pointed the gun at the men and ordered them to lie face down. The men emptied their pockets, after which Branch and Charles searched the room for money, McCarthy said.
Charles then ordered them to disrobe, and that's when the 26-year-old St. Paul man pulled out a gun, McCarthy said, and gunfire ensued. Although Charles sustained mortal gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen, he and Branch ran from the room and collapsed outside the hotel, McCarthy said.
Police found them and followed the blood trail back to the hotel room. Guests of the hotel reported hearing shots and saw Branch and Charles run from the room, McCarthy said.
Branch was charged with murder because Charles' death happened in the midst of a felony she was committing, authorities said. Police recovered three .22 caliber shell casings and three .45 caliber shell casings.
Assistant Public Defender Salvatore Spaccaferro disputed prosecutors' version of the story. "Our understanding is that the facts will show there was no robbery and there was no murder," Spaccaferro said.
Branch's sister, Melissa Mercer, defended Branch, saying Branch told her on the phone she was not trying to rob the people in the hotel room.
Outside the courtroom, family friend Dan Delgado acknowledged Branch has had problems since she was 12 years old, but he insisted that she loved Charles. Branch's mother, Theresa Delarosa, said her daughter did not know her boyfriend had died until police told her Tuesday afternoon.
"I know she's no queen," said the tearful Delarosa, "but she never did anything like this."
Branch's criminal background dates back more than a decade across Illinois and in Missouri. Pending cases against Branch, according to records and prosecutors, include:
• Kane County charges alleging manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance.
• Cook County charges of prostitution, after her arrest in Schaumburg last week. That arrest came hours after she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor prostitution earlier that day in Rolling Meadows.
• Winnebago County charges of resisting arrest, battery and criminal damage to property.
Branch's previous sentences and convictions include:
• 5 years' probation in Missouri for a 2001 conviction of endangering the welfare of a child.
• 24 months' felony probation in Kane County for a 2002 aggravated battery to a police officer.
• 24 months' probation and 100 hours of community service in Kane County after a 2004 felony conviction for retail theft.
• 3 years in prison in Kane County for robbery.
• Misdemeanor convictions, including criminal trespass, 1998; contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Kane County, 1999; harassment by phone, 2001; attempted obstruction of justice in McHenry County, 2004; and aggravated assault last year in Winnebago County.
Branch next appears in court on April 7.
• Daily Herald reporter Josh Stockinger contributed to this report.
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