Prosecutors Unveil Gruesome Details of Man's Decapitation

Teen accused of killing aunt's boyfriend because he was asked to move out

Prosecutors say a Chicago teen decapitated his aunt's boyfriend because he was angry that they asked him to move out.

Authorities say Alexis Valdez, 18, was so angry about being asked to leave the Northwest Side apartment, he decided to leave her a Christmas Eve "present" in the form of the severed head of her boyfriend, Silvestri Diaz, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Valdez has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the decapitated body found on Christmas Eve.

In court, Assistant State’s Attorney Kingsley Sawyers said Valdez moved in with his aunt and Diaz about six months ago. Valdez was allowed to move into the apartment, in the 2500 block of N. Kildare, on the condition that he go to school, work and contribute to household expenses, Sawyers said. But eventually, Valdez stopped working and he was asked to move out.

On Christmas Eve, while the aunt was attending a party, Valdez started drinking and became angry at being forced to move out, according to prosecutors. At some point, Diaz came home to the apartment and went with Valdez to a store to buy more beer.

Sawyers says Valdez hid a hammer by the door, and smashed Diaz in the head several times when they returned from the store. When Diaz was dead, Valdez dismembered the body, eventually cutting off Diaz’s head as he played loud music to conceal his actions, according to prosecutors.

Valdez also used a butcher knife to cut off Diaz’s ears, nose and mouth, Sawyers said, and also pulled out Diaz’s eyes with his bare hands. He also cut off Diaz’s arms and sliced the dead man’s torso from his neck to his pelvis, Sawyers said.

Valdez left the head, ears and nose on Diaz’s bed because he wanted to leave his aunt a present, Sawyers said in court.

Valdez eventually became exhausted from cutting up the body, Sawyers said. He called 911 to report a dead body. When the 911 operator asked Valdez if he’d tried CPR, “the defendant laughed and told the 911 operator that the victim had been decapitated,” Sawyers said.

When police arrived, Valdez was covered in blood and admitted to killing Diaz, and would have killed his aunt as well if she had come home, Sawyers said.

“The defendant also admitted that he was angry with his aunt and the victim, and that if his aunt had come home and seen the victim’s body, then he would have killed her as well,” Sawyers said.

Valdez, who has no known criminal history, was held without bond,

Copyright CHIST - SunTimes
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