Records: Fan cord, knife used in 2011 Carpentersville murder
A 73-year-old Carpentersville man accused of killing his friend and neighbor in October 2011 strangled her with a fan cord before stabbing her, according to court records.
Dennis M. Kuzara, of the 0-99 block of Oxford Lane, was arrested Friday on two counts of first-degree murder in the Oct. 2, 2011, death of Isabella Trejo, 57, also of Carpentersville.
Trejo lived in the same apartment complex as Kuzara and was described in a weekend news release from the Kane County state's attorney's office as Kuzara's friend. That day, Trejo missed a family funeral and her relatives alerted authorities, who found her dead in her apartment.
Last weekend, prosecutors said new evidence, including DNA, came to light that directly tied Kuzara to Trejo's murder. Charging documents said Kuzara first strangled her with a fan cord then stabbed her with a knife.
Carpentersville Police Chief Michael Kilbourne said he could not comment on the relationship between Kuzara and Trejo, nor could he elaborate on the new evidence that came to light that gave authorities the green light to charge Kuzara.
Kilbourne said his investigators never gave up on the case and continued to work it as new technologies evolved.
"We were diligent in not losing sight of solving the case even though it took a little more than seven years," Kilbourne said. "We hope this bring some comfort to the Trejo family."
A message left with the Kane County Public Defender's Office, which has been appointed to defend Kuzara, was not immediately returned.
Kuzara is held on $2 million bail, meaning he must post $200,000 to be released from the Kane County jail while the case is pending. If he does, he is to have no contact with Trejo's relatives, court records show.
He is next due in court Dec. 13 and, if convicted, faces a prison term of 20 to 60 years with no chance of early release.