Angel Figueroa, a 38-year-old Hispanic male, tragically lost his life on August 6, 2021, in Chicago, IL. On that fateful day, Angel was riding in the passenger seat of a van driven by his girlfriend, with his daughter also present in the vehicle. As they traveled through the Humboldt Park neighborhood, a Hyundai Santa Fe began following them. The situation escalated when the Santa Fe pulled up alongside their van, and the driver, wearing a reflective green vest, fired a single shot that struck
Angel in the face. Despite his girlfriend's desperate attempt to rush him to Humboldt Park Health Hospital, Angel was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The investigation into Angel Figueroa's murder quickly led to the identification and arrest of Justin Cortes, a 25-year-old parolee. Cortes, who was on parole for a 2016 home invasion conviction, was identified through a combination of surveillance footage and cellphone data. Surveillance cameras captured the Hyundai Santa Fe at a nearby store just minutes before the shooting, and Cortes was seen making a purchase inside the store. Additionally, his cellphone pinged near the scene of the crime at the time of the shooting. Further evidence included a police body-camera recording of Cortes following a car crash involving the Santa Fe two days after the murder.
Cortes was charged with the murder of Angel Figueroa and was held without bail. The case against him was bolstered by the substantial evidence gathered by the detectives, including the surveillance footage and cellphone data. The tragic death of Angel Figueroa left a profound impact on his family and the community, highlighting the ongoing issues of gun violence and crime in Chicago.
