Buffalo Grove police identify suspect in 'targeted' double homicide at condo complex

Buffalo Grove police believe a married couple shot to death in a condominium parking garage Sunday night were targeted by their assailant, and they say they are looking for a killer caught on surveillance cameras.

Police said late Monday night that Anatoliy Ermak, 64, is wanted in connection with the homicides at the Cambridge on the Lake condominium complex and should be considered armed and dangerous. No hometown was given for Ermak, but police said he may be driving a white Nissan Versa hatchback with Florida license plate KCFK75.

Police Chief Steven Casstevens said “high-quality” video footage from inside the parking garage at the complex on the 100 block of Lake Boulevard shows the couple being confronted by the killer before being shot multiple times. He said the interaction between the couple and the killer leads police to believe the victims were targeted.

“There's some specific information on the video that leads us to believe that,” Casstevens said earlier Monday. “I can't release any information that's more specific than that at this time. I don't want to compromise the investigation.”

In a statement released later Monday, police said information learned throughout the day reaffirmed that it was a targeted attack and there is no reason to believe the killer would return to the area and be a threat to the community. But police said they will have an increased police presence in the Cambridge on the Lake neighborhood.

Police were withholding the victims' identities pending full notification of family.

In the video footage, Casstevens said, the unidentified couple - a 69-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman - are seen entering the garage in their car about 8:15 p.m. Sunday. The suspect follows the car into the garage on foot through the still-open garage door.

Once parked and outside their car, the victims and their killer have a brief conversation before the gunman opens fire. The killer then leaves through a side door. There were no signs of forced entry to the garage, Casstevens said.

Police said the killer did not appear to take anything from the victims or the car.

More than three hours later, another resident discovered the bodies and called police, authorities said. Both were declared dead at the scene, and an autopsy was expected Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Michael Kuperman, a neighbor of the slain couple, said he was friends with them and described them as “good people.” He said he'd sometimes have breakfast with them.

“We belong to the same (Russian-speaking) community,” Kuperman said. “We communicate a lot.”

Throughout the morning Monday, law enforcement canvassed the condominium complex for additional witnesses and evidence. A search team deployed a sonar device to search a pond in the courtyard. Casstevens said investigators have no evidence to suggest the murder weapon was discarded in the pond but are checking as a standard precaution.

When asked if the couple were retirees or still working somewhere, Casstevens said, “I'm not sure of the specifics on that.”

Casstevens said the couple were not known to police and there had been no previous calls for service to the victims' home in the past.

This is the first murder in Buffalo Grove since 2006, according to the police department's annual uniform crime reports. That, too, was a double murder. Robert Young was ultimately sentenced to 80 years in prison for the stabbing deaths of Catonis Jones and Sharmaine Gregory.

Anyone with information about Sunday's murders is urged to call (847) 459-2560.

Daily Herald staff writer Bob Susnjara contributed to this story.