[IL] Remembering Arcelia Guerrero Balbontin, murdered by her Chicago Police officer husband

...Arcelia came from Mexico and "was a good woman who would do anything for her family"... Arcelia's brother said, "My sister didn't believe he was going to do that to her"....

Gleaned from news articles:

January 18th 2005 - Chicago Police Officer Rafael Balbontin, 32, met with his parents Juan and Juana at 9:15 p.m. in a Mexican restarant and told them that he was going to kill himself - that he and his wife Arcelia, 29, were having problems and that he was "fed up with" her. He kissed his mother goodbye, she tried to stop him, and then started crying and screaming - "He's going to kill himself. He's liable to do something to her too." Rafael's dad made calls to be sure Arcelia was warned to leave. Before Rafael got home Arcelia took guns from the home safe and hid them. Her sister, who lived in the building called 911 at 10:35. Arecelia called then too, saying she was fighting with her husband and feared Rafael was going to kill himself. Neighbors said they heard a loud, violent fight - loud banging and crashing like chairs and tables falling over and someone screaming, "Call the police. Just call the police. Right away! Right away!" One neighbor said she could hear Arcelia screaming: "Death and life. You could hear it in her voice." Police arrived by 10:37. By then family members had all rushed to outside of the house, Arcelia had been fatally stabbed 20 times with a folding knife and Rafael and Arcelia's young son had locked himself in a closet with his baby brother after seeing the murder of his mother. Rafael came out of the building, said he had done it, and let officers arrest him without a fight. Arcelia's mother was taken to the hospital for a slash she recieved trying to save her daughter.

"Unfortunately we didn't see this coming and there was nothing we could do to prevent it. It's a tragedy and our prayers and thoughts out to the family," said Chicago Police Superintendent Philip Cline. He said domestic violence involving police officers "is something that we address very seriously."

Relatives and neighbors said that while the couple had had loud arguments in the past, police were never called to the home. Arcelia's brother said, "My sister didn't believe he was going to do that to her." Arcelia's sister-in-law said Arcelia came from Mexico and "was a good woman who would do anything for her family." Rafael's family said the finances were stretched, he was overworked - having 3 side jobs, and not getting enough rest. Rafael was sentenced to 25 years and is serving that time in Illinois' Lawrence Correctional Center, a medium security facility.

[I would like a photo of Arcelia.]

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder suicidal illinois state politics]