In the summer of 1993, eighteen-year-old Carmen Charneco of Carpentersville, Illinois, was eagerly stepping into a new chapter of her life. A recent high school graduate, she was an only child who, according to her parents, was "going in a positive direction." Carmen had just started a new job at a home improvement store in the nearby city of Elgin and was looking forward to her future. That future held a special promise: she was four months pregnant with her first child, a son, and was determined to create a good life for him.
Part of her plan involved breaking away from a troubled past. She had recently ended her two-year relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Edwin Acevedo Rodriguez. Authorities later learned that Rodriguez had been violent with Carmen during their relationship, a fact she had kept from her family. Her decision to leave him was reportedly solidified after she discovered the extent of his criminal history and his affiliation with the "Maniac Latin Disciples" street gang. With a new job and a baby on the way, Carmen was focused on building a safe and stable world for her son.
On the evening of Friday, July 23, 1993, Carmen’s parents, Susan and David, saw her for the last time around 8 p.m. She later went to visit a friend in Carpentersville, leaving around midnight to make the drive home. She never arrived. In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 24, an Illinois State Police trooper on patrol made a grim discovery. On the shoulder of the Route 25 entrance ramp to Interstate 90 in Elgin, the trooper found Carmen’s blue 1985 Pontiac. Inside, the young woman was fully clothed and reclined in the front passenger seat, positioned as if she were asleep. An investigation determined that Carmen Charneco and her unborn child had their futures stolen from them; she had been strangled to death.
The investigation into the female victim's homicide was launched by the Illinois State Police. Suspicion quickly fell on her ex-boyfriend, Edwin Acevedo Rodriguez. Investigators discovered that Rodriguez, a paroled felon from Elgin, had fled the area immediately after Carmen’s body was found. While he has never been officially charged with her murder, he remains the primary person of interest. At the time of the killing, Rodriguez was wanted on separate warrants for parole violation, mob action, and unlawful flight to avoid confinement.
For more than three decades, the case has remained cold, a source of unending pain for Carmen's loved ones. Rodriguez, who would now be in his early fifties, has never been apprehended. He is described as a Puerto Rican male, standing approximately five feet three to five inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. In 1993, he weighed between 132 and 150 pounds and had several tattoos on his thighs, right arm, forearm, and shoulder. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
Over the years, authorities have received tips placing Rodriguez in various locations. He has relatives in Brooklyn and the Bronx in New York and has been sighted there. He has also been reportedly seen in Hialeah, Florida, and in the areas of Aguada and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. As of February 2024, the murder of Carmen Charneco remains unsolved. The Illinois State Police continues to seek information on the case and the whereabouts of the fugitive. A $5,000 reward is offered for information that leads to the apprehension of Edwin Acevedo Rodriguez. Anyone with information is urged to contact Illinois State Police, Zone 1 Investigations at 847-294-4314.
