Connie R. Woolfolk was a hardworking and devoted single mother, remembered for her beautiful smile and a winning personality that matched her entrepreneurial spirit. The 37-year-old from Flossmoor, Illinois, was the eldest of four children and a mother to two sons, Victor and Maeric. Described by her father, Melvin, as a loving person who would help anybody, Connie was dedicated to providing for her family. She worked for the village of Park Forest, took on overnight shifts at a local Target, and in 2006, channeled her skills in finance and community development into a new mortgage business she started with her mother, Portia. Her family recalled that her business sense showed itself early, when she sold candy from the family garage as a child.
Connie was a fierce advocate for her children, especially for her younger son who faced significant health challenges.
On the morning of Saturday, February 2, 2008, Connie stopped at the Lane Bryant clothing store in the Brookside Marketplace shopping center in Tinley Park. Family believes she was picking out a new outfit for a rare night out she had planned with friends. Shortly after 10:00 a.m., a man posing as a delivery driver entered the store. He soon revealed a.40-caliber semiautomatic handgun and announced a robbery. The gunman forced Connie, store manager Rhoda McFarland, and three other customers, Jennifer Bishop, Carrie Chiuso, and Sarah Szafranski, along with a store employee, into a back room. There, he bound them before shooting them execution-style. Connie and the four other women were fatally wounded. The sixth woman, though shot, survived by feigning death and was later able to provide a description of the killer. The assailant fled with a small amount of cash from the register.
The surviving witness described the shooter as a Black male, between 6 feet and 6 feet 2 inches tall with a husky build and broad shoulders. He had a receding hairline and thick, cornrowed hair, with one braid adorned with four green beads on the end. He was wearing a dark Carhartt-style jacket and dark pants. The Tinley Park Police Department launched an immediate and extensive investigation, releasing a composite sketch based on the witness's description. Over the years, thousands of tips have been pursued, and evidence from the scene has been repeatedly analyzed.
The investigation has remained active, with new detectives being assigned to the cold case to bring a fresh perspective. Police have utilized evolving technology, including creating a 3D digital rendering of the suspect sketch to provide a more lifelike image. Despite these efforts and the recovery of the killer's DNA, no arrests have been made. Connie's father has stated he heard his daughter fought back against her attacker, and in early 2026, her family publicly urged investigators to re-examine evidence using the latest forensic technology, specifically mentioning a coffee cup, duct tape, and potential DNA recovered from beneath Connie's fingernails.
The profound loss is still felt deeply by Connie's loved ones. At her funeral, which was attended by more than a thousand mourners, she was remembered for her spirit and love. Her mother, Portia, was overcome with grief, crying, "My Connie." Her brother Aaron remembers her beautiful smile and how she remains in his heart. On anniversaries of the massacre, memorials have been held to honor the five women whose lives were taken.
As of March 2026, the case remains unsolved, but the Tinley Park Police Department and partnering agencies insist the investigation has never stopped. "Our detectives and partners continue to evaluate leads, review evidence, and apply available investigative and forensic tools as they evolve," Police Chief Tom Tilton stated in February 2026. Connie's father, still seeking justice for his daughter, has expressed his wish for the FBI to take over the investigation, hoping for answers in his lifetime. A reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case stands at approximately $200,000. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tinley Park Police Department tip line.
