$5 million bond set for teens charged in shooting death of Waukegan school counselor
CHICAGO (CBS) – Two teenage boys are being held on $5 million bond after they were arrested and charged in connection with the shooting death of a beloved coach and counselor in Waukegan last month.
The charges stem from the May 6 shooting death of Niolis Collazo, 23. Waukegan police said Thursday that investigators identified the two suspects, 16-year-old David DeJesus and 17-year-old Yahir A. Torrecilla, in collaboration with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.
Police secured search warrants for both suspects' homes, which police executed Thursday morning. Both suspects were found and arrested.
Police found handguns at both locations. One of the guns had a fully automatic switch, though it was not attached to the gun, police said. One of the guns was reported stolen out of Florida.
Both suspects were charged with three counts of first-degree murder as adults.
DeJesus and Toorecilla both appeared in bond court on Friday where bond was set at $5 million. They are being held at the Hulse Detention Center in Vernon Hills.
Prosecutors said surveillance video showed DeJesus' family car was at the scene of the shooting on May 6. Police found DeJesus behind the wheel when they pulled the car over in Waukegan less than a week later. Prosecutors said they filed charges after finding more surveillance video, social media information, and several guns linking the teens to Collazo's killing.
CBS 2 spoke with Torecilla's 15-year-old girlfriend whose name and face we're not using because of her age. She said she was blindsided by the charges and was unaware there was an investigation for several weeks into the father of their 3-month-old daughter.
"I just found out yesterday so it was all like, 'wow,'" she said. "Like when you can't believe something, it all hits you."
She added, "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do. It's really hard for me."
Collazo recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She came back home and landed a job at Waukegan High School as the boy's volleyball assistant coach.
She was also a counselor with Youth Guidance's Working On Womanhood program at Smith Middle School.
Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor released a statement after news of the arrests broke:
"Niolis Collazo was a beloved Waukeganite, a cherished coach, and a mentor to Waukegan students. While nothing we ever can do will fully ease the Collazo's family pain and anguish during this time, I am pleased the Waukegan Police Department and the Lake County State's Attorney successfully collaborated in the arrests that occurred earlier this morning. As Mayor of Waukegan, I extend my deepest condolences to Ms. Collazo's family."
Dejesus' next court date is on June 8, at 9 a.m. and Torrecilla's next court date is on June 9, at 9 a.m.
