Bond set at $5 million each for teens charged in fatal shooting of Waukegan volleyball coach
A Lake County judge Friday set bond at $5 million each for two teens charged as adults in the fatal shooting last month of a 23-year-old Waukegan volleyball coach.
David Dejesus, 16, and Yahir A. Torrecilla, 17, were taken into custody Thursday by Waukegan police using search warrants executed simultaneously at each of their homes. Firearms were found at both homes, according to police.
Each teen was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the May 6 shooting death of Niolis M. Collazo, a Waukegan High School graduate who coached freshman boys volleyball there and served as a counselor and mentor at Smith Middle School.
Collazo was driving one of two vehicles struck by gunfire in the area of 10th Street and Lewis Avenue. She was found unresponsive in her vehicle and later died of a gunshot wound at Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan. The occupant of the second vehicle was not injured.
The arrests were announced Thursday by Waukegan police after what was described as "an extensive investigative effort" among all divisions.
According to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, investigators retrieved numerous surveillance videos that helped with identifying the suspected vehicle, later determined to be registered to a relative of Dejesus.
Dejesus was pulled over while driving that vehicle on May 11. An investigation showed Dejesus and Torrecilla were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, according to the state's attorney's office.
Two arrest warrants and two search warrants were secured and executed Thursday.
In a news release, Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said he was proud of Waukegan police who have been working tirelessly on the case and of First Assistant State's Attorney Lauren Callinan and Jeff Facklam, chief deputy of the criminal division, who worked closely with detectives.
"Our office will support the victim's family and seek justice in the courtroom," he said.
Two handguns were found at one location and four handguns at the second during searches of the teens' homes, according to Waukegan police.
One of the four handguns had a fully automatic switch attached to the gun and a second fully automatic switch was found but not attached. One of the four guns was reported stolen out of Florida, police said.
As juveniles, both were being held at the Hulse Detention Center in Vernon Hills. Dejesus' next court date is June 8 and Torrecilla's is June 9.