Every officer with a decent amount of time on the job knows the unexpected turns an investigation can take. Seeing a major case through to completion often involves giving up on a theory and taking your investigation in a different direction as new information becomes available. In How to Catch A Criminal, we look at the many ways not-so-perfect crimes are solved. This month, a senseless tragedy and the careless action that left the evidence detectives needed to solve the case.
The night of Jan. 8, 1993, Manny and Epifania Castro sit worried in their Palatine, Illinois home. Their 16-year-old son, Michael had not arrived home from work and it was now after 11 p.m. Michael would occasionally stay out late with friends after work and it was, after all, a Friday night. What made this situation particularly concerning is that Michael hadn't called to let his parents know he was going to be late. That was not like him in the least. Manny had just returned from Michael's work, Brown's Chicken & Pasta, to check on his son. Michael's truck was still in the parking lot, and the restaurant appeared closed wrong as expected at that hour. Manny checked nearby fast food spots but there was still no sign of Michael. After returning home, Manny and Epifania received a phone call from Evelyn Urgena, the mother of Michael's co-worker 17-year-old, Rico Solis. Evelyn had not heard from Rico either. The Castros decided to contact Palatine Police and request an officer meet them at Brown's in order to report the boys missing. Initially, police assumed the teens were just out having fun, enjoying their Friday and nothing was amiss. Mr. Castro was insistent there was something wrong and followed the officer to the station to make a report.
Unaccounted for teens are one thing, but Brown's new cook, 47-year-old, Guadalupe Maldonado was a married man with several children of his own, and was always home before their bedtime. He wouldn't be out partying with his young co-workers. Maldonado's brother, Pedro also drove to the restaurant. Pedro had the same results as Manny Castro, finding the store closed and Guadalupe's car in the parking lot. He also spoke to a police officer who stopped to check for the missing employees and is assured Guadalupe will turn up soon. Once the Castros made a formal report of their missing son, two officers returned to Brown's around 3 a.m. to double check the building. They found the back door unsecured and made entry to ensure no one was inside. The officers were immediately met by a terrible sight. From the doorway they could see an arm sticking out of a large freezer. This sight removed all doubt. The employees were not out enjoying their Friday night, but whoever was responsible for this horror definitely was.
In total, seven people were dead. Cashiers Rico Solis and Michael Castro, fry cook Guadalupe Maldonado, Manager in training Marcus Nellsen, prep cook Thomas Mennes, and restaurant owners Richard and Lynn Ehlenfeldt. Five in the freezer and two in a walk-in cooler, all shot to death, some stabbed. Each victim had multiple gunshot wounds except for Lynn Ehlenfeldt who only suffered one, but also had her throat cut. A total of 21 rounds were fired from a .38 revolver, meaning the shooter had time to reload at least three times, but no casings were left behind. No suspect fingerprints were located at the scene, but detectives found the safe unlocked with a key Lynn Ehlenfeldt was known to wear on a wristband. Based on the day's sales it was approximated $1,800 was stolen from the safe, making this a possible robbery gone terribly wrong. The employees were evidently in the middle of closing procedures when they were killed. This was clear because all of the trashcans had been emptied and fresh bags placed in them. The only trash in the whole restaurant was a few pieces of partially eaten chicken in one the kitchen trashcans. This chicken had to have been discarded by one of the seven employees, or, whoever shot them. The chicken was seized as potential DNA evidence and soon placed in a freezer where it would remain for 9 years. Much like the chicken, unfortunately, the case would quickly become cold.
In March of 2002, Palatine Police received a call. Unlike thousands of leads that came before, this call was exactly what they were waiting for. A woman by the name of Anne Lockett told her knew what happened that January night at Brown's and she couldn't bear to keep the secret any longer. A friend convinced Anne to speak to Palatine Detectives to help solve the case. Lockett eventually agreed and on March 25, she found herself in meeting with the Chief of Police and other high ranking officials. Anne told her story and at long last, this case was blown wide open. Lockett explained on Jan. 8, 1993, her boyfriend at the time, 20-year-old Jim Degorski, called her and said he “did something big” and encouraged her to watch the evening news to find out what he had done. It wasn't long before Anne got the full story from Degorski. He told her his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, wanted to know what it was like to kill a person, and knew the perfect place to find victims. Luna worked at Browns for a short period and knew the ins and outs of the building, as well as its lack of an alarm system. Degorski had agreed to help his friend satisfy his curiosity.
Using Lockett's statements and details from the crime scene, investigators were able to put the story together. Luna and Degorski entered the restaurant late on that Friday night and ordered a meal just before closing time. After Luna had his fill of chicken and the table was cleared, the two men made a move towards the counter, armed with Degorski's .38 revolver and a knife. It is unclear in exactly what order the events unfolded, but a warning shot was fired in the dining room and Lynn Ehlenfeldt was ordered to open the safe with her key. Lynn, Guadalupe Maldonado, Marcus Nellsen, Michael Castro, and Rico Solis are ordered into the freezer at gunpoint before being shot by Luna, who reloaded as needed from extra rounds he and Degorski carried in their pockets. Prior to the shooting Juan slashed Lynn's throat, and after the shooting he stabbed Michael Castro in the stomach. At some point one of the victims tried to run out the backdoor, but Luna and Degorski had wedged a piece of wood under it before they went inside. That piece of wood prevented the door from opening until the officers later pulled it open from the outside. Once the five victims in the freezer were dead, the killers found Richard Ehlenfeldt, and Thomas Mennes in the walk in cooler. They soon met the same fate as their colleagues. The killers then absconded with the small amount of money from the safe, now certain of what it felt like to kill. They left the scene at 9:52 PM, free and clear for almost 10 years.
Lockett's testimony was a huge difference maker for Police and Prosecutors, but not enough to seal the deal. They needed physical evidence which would tie the men to the scene. Luckily, they still had DNA evidence in the form a piece of chicken. Degorski and Luna were quickly located and surprisingly both men agreed to provide a DNA swab for forensic testing. In May of 2002, the Illinois State Police Crime lab sent the results: The chicken was a match for Juan Luna. On May 16, 2002, both men were arrested, and in another shocking twist, they both confessed to the murders and corroborated Lockett's statements. Still, the wheels of justice turn slowly. In March of 2007 Juan Luna went to trial for the murders and was found guilty. He was spared the death penalty thanks to a sole juror voting against capital punishment. Instead, Juan Luna received a life sentence, which he is still serving today at. Degorski was given the same punishment in September of 2009 with two jurors saving him from the death penalty. It took more than a decade, but thanks to Juan Luna's attempt to act casual by ordering a meal, combined with proper preservation of evidence and advanced DNA testing, justice was served.
About the Author
Brendan Rodela is a Deputy for the Lincoln County (NM) Sheriff's Office. He holds a degree in Criminal Justice and is a certified instructor with specialized training in Domestic Violence and Interactions with Persons with Mental Impairments.
