Merceda Faye Ares, a dedicated 31-year-old social worker, spent her life offering empathy and support to those in need. Her compassion was a guiding principle, a quality she held onto even in the final, terrifying moments of her life. On the morning of February 13, 1999, her commitment to seeing the good in people was met with the most brutal form of violence when three men broke into her apartment in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Her death would become the final piece in a puzzle that exposed a serial killer and brought a violent crime spree to an end.
That Saturday, three men—Ronald Hinton, his longtime acquaintance Michael Sanders, and a third man named David Wales—were looking for a home to burglarize. After a failed attempt at another house, they targeted Merceda’s second-floor apartment. Hinton entered the residence and was confronted by Merceda. He and his accomplices proceeded to sexually assault her.
In a testament to her character, Merceda pleaded for her life, not by begging, but by appealing to their shared humanity, telling them about her work as a social worker and her experience with people like them. Her plea was ignored. Ronald Hinton strangled her to death.
Following the murder, the men stole valuables from Merceda’s apartment, including her ATM card. Their greed would be their undoing. Soon after, Hinton and Sanders were captured on a surveillance camera using the card to withdraw money. When the images were broadcast on local news channels, a shocking tip came into the police: Hinton’s own young daughter recognized her father on the television screen and told her teacher, who then alerted the authorities. This crucial piece of information led to the swift arrest of Hinton, Sanders, and Wales in March 1999.
The investigation following the arrests quickly unraveled a series of horrific crimes. DNA evidence from the scene of Merceda's murder not only confirmed Hinton's guilt but also linked him to two other unsolved homicides in the Rogers Park area, establishing him as a serial killer known as the Rogers Park Strangler. His other victims were 36-year-old Keary Lea Gagnier, killed in August 1998, and 17-year-old Felecia Mullins, killed in December 1996. Michael Sanders was also implicated in the murder of Keary Gagnier.
To avoid a potential death sentence, Ronald Hinton pleaded guilty on May 11, 2004, to the first-degree murders of Merceda Ares, Keary Gagnier, and Felecia Mullins. He received three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Michael Sanders, who participated in the murders of both Merceda and Keary Gagnier, was convicted on an accountability theory. He was sentenced to two life sentences (one for natural life and one for 60 years) to be served consecutively. Years later, Sanders sought post-conviction relief, supported by an affidavit from Hinton recanting his testimony, but his petition was denied in 2018 after a hearing.
David Wales, who acted as a lookout during the home invasion and murder of Merceda Ares, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison. His case took a significant turn decades later. In October 2023, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker commuted his sentence, making him eligible for parole. After serving more than two decades of his sentence, David Wales was released from prison in June 2024. While the legal chapters for the men who took Merceda’s life have largely closed, the loss of a compassionate social worker who tried to find humanity in her last moments remains a profound tragedy.
