Police question man in Aurora slaying

Police are questioning a "person of interest" in the brutal stabbing death of a young Aurora mother found slain near her two crying children.

Authorities declined to name the man, but they confirmed he knew 25-year-old Brenetta Beck and may have information about what happened inside the east-side apartment.

"We do not believe this to be a random crime," said Dan Ferrelli, a police spokesman.

Rescuers discovered Beck at 6:35 a.m. Tuesday in her apartment on the 1700 block of Molitor Road. She suffered multiple stab wounds on her head and upper body. Her two children, though crying, were physically unharmed.

The slain woman's mother called police to the apartment that morning after relatives were unable to reach Beck. She lived in the second-floor apartment with her 16-month-old daughter and infant son, born just 10 days earlier.

Beck was not married. She was seeking child support from her former boyfriend, according to Kane County court records.

Police took the male "person of interest" into custody about 1 p.m. Wednesday. He was expected to remain at the police station overnight.

Detectives may hold a suspect for up to 72 hours without charges, but there are exceptions to that rule.

Anyone with information is urged to call Aurora police at (630) 801-6655 or the Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000. The group is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information.