Arrest warrant approved for suspect in Buffalo Grove double murder
A Cook County judge on Wednesday approved an arrest warrant guaranteeing the extradition of the suspect in a Buffalo Grove double homicide from anywhere he might be found within the U.S.
The new warrant seeks the arrest of 64-year-old Anatoliy Ermak of Minnesota on two counts of first-degree murder.
Buffalo Grove police said they knew of no attempt by Ermak to use his passport to leave the country. Officer Meghan Hansen of the department's community relations unit also said the handgun used in the slaying has not been located.
Ermak is suspected of shooting his ex-wife Nataliya Ermak, 55, and her husband Roman Frid, 69, in what authorities are calling "targeted" killings Sunday in a parking garage at the Cambridge on the Lake condominium complex where they lived in Buffalo Grove.
"This warrant is the result of more than 48 hours of nonstop investigation," Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steven Casstevens said in a written statement. "The investigators have worked diligently to secure this warrant, and I am proud of the hard work and collaboration between our local and federal agencies involved.
"Locating the suspect and providing safety and security to our residents remain the police department's priorities and we will continue to work exhaustively at both."
Anatoliy Ermak lives in the Minneapolis area, where police believe he rented a white Nissan Versa hatchback with Florida license plate KCFK75 before driving to Buffalo Grove.
The bodies of Nataliya Ermak and Frid were discovered in the garage late Sunday by another resident of condominium complex on the 100 block of Lake Boulevard. They had been shot multiple times, Casstevens said.
Surveillance video shows the couple entering the garage in their car about 8:15 p.m. Sunday, police said. In the video, their killer 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 with a handgun, police said.
The video shows the killer leaving through a side door, police said. There were no signs of forced entry to the garage, Casstevens said.
The suspect and Nataliya Ermak divorced "several years ago," and there is no indication she had sought protective orders or filed any criminal complaints against him, Casstevens said.
Police said the killer did not appear to take anything from the victims or their car.
Anyone with information about Sunday's killings should call (847) 459-2560.