Abbigail “Abby” Somoza, a loving and caring 22-year-old woman, was beginning a career as a nail technician and dreamed of one day becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant. Her family remembered her as a sweet young woman who loved doing makeup. Her mother, Maria, described her as a good, loving girl who didn't have problems with anyone and enjoyed going to concerts like Riot Fest. Her aunt, Gina, called her the family's "only princess."
Abbigail was working at a fast-food restaurant while saving money for cosmetology school, hoping to return to her passion for doing nails.
On the evening of October 10, 2026, a shopping trip for Halloween supplies turned tragic. Abbigail and her mother had just returned to their longtime family home in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. They parked their car and were standing outside on the 2800 block of West 23rd Street around 8:43 p.m., talking about how they were going to decorate, when gunfire erupted from about a block away, near 23rd and California. Abbigail told her mother she heard a loud noise and then felt a sudden pain. She had been struck by what her family believes was a stray bullet.
Abbigail suffered a single gunshot wound to her torso and armpit. Her mother was not physically injured. A neighbor who had known Abbigail since she was a child rushed outside, called for an ambulance, and comforted her mother at the scene. Paramedics transported Abbigail to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, but she did not survive her injuries. The Cook County medical examiner's office later ruled her death a homicide. Her family believes she was not the intended target.
The investigation was assigned to Chicago Police Department's Area 4 detectives. In the days following the shooting, friends and neighbors built a growing memorial of candles, rosaries, and flowers on the sidewalk outside the Somoza home. Bullet holes from the shooting remained visible at the scene, where some witnesses reported hearing more than a dozen gunshots. As of late October 2026, no arrests had been made in the case, and police had not released any descriptions of potential suspects or vehicles involved.
The loss devastated Abbigail's family and community. "He didn't kill one person, he killed all our family," her father, Francisco Somoza, said of the unknown shooter. "I can't wish bad upon him because my Lord Jesus Christ doesn't allow that. I just hope he repents." Her mother, Maria, pleaded for justice. "We have to catch those scumbags who hurt my daughter," she said. "Justice must be served. They can't leave a family like this." The family has expressed fear that the case could go cold if witnesses do not come forward with information.
In the wake of her death, loved ones organized a GoFundMe campaign to help with medical bills and funeral expenses, raising thousands of dollars. The family held a prayer vigil outside their home, remembering Abbigail and calling for accountability. A visitation was held on October 26, followed by a funeral Mass the next day at Mother of the Americas Catholic Church. The investigation into Abbigail Somoza's murder remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Chicago Police Department.
