On the morning of April 8, 2021, a violent domestic tragedy unfolded in the quiet residential neighborhood of Hammond, Indiana, claiming the life of Alicia Santillan Guerrero, a 49-year-old White female. Law enforcement officers were dispatched to a home located in the 4700 block of Ash Avenue around 7:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival at the residence, first responders discovered Alicia suffering from a gunshot wound to her shoulder.
Emergency medical personnel immediately treated her at the scene before transporting her to a hospital in nearby Chicago for urgent care. Despite the efforts of medical staff, she succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
The investigation quickly identified the suspect as the victim's husband, 47-year-old Rogelio Guerrero. Police learned that after the shooting occurred at the family home, Rogelio had fled the scene. A manhunt ensued, but the search came to an abrupt end approximately one hour later. Around 8:00 a.m., authorities received information that the suspect had been located at Elmwood Cemetery on Southeastern Avenue, a site where the couple’s two deceased sons were buried.
When officers converged on the cemetery, they found Rogelio Guerrero with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was still alive when discovered and was rushed to a local area hospital, but he subsequently died from his injury. The Lake County Coroner’s Office later identified both individuals and confirmed the sequence of events as a murder-suicide. Because the sole suspect died by his own hand, no arrests were made and no criminal charges were filed in connection with Alicia's death.
Alicia Santillan Guerrero was remembered as a devoted mother and grandmother who had faced significant family tragedy prior to her own untimely death. She was preceded in death by two of her sons, Rogelio Jr. and Israel, which added a layer of profound sorrow to the incident at the cemetery. She was survived by her remaining three children, Cecilia, Sergio, and Enrique, as well as her grandchildren and extended family members who were left to mourn the loss of both parents in a single day.
