Angry Teen 'Wanted To Leave His Aunt A Present:' Her Boyfriend's Head In Her Bed

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 28, 2013 4:00PM

It’s one of the more gruesome murders to happen in Chicago in recent memory, made more so by the brutality of the alleged killer.

Alexis Valdez, 18, was charged with the Christmas Day murder and dismemberment of 41-year-old Silvestre Diaz-Hernandez.

The murder occurred early Christmas Day on the 2500 block of North Kildare Avenue in the Hermosa neighborhood. Valdez was living with his aunt and Diaz-Hernandez under the agreement that he go to school and work to help pay household expenses. Valdez eventually stopped working and was asked by his aunt to move out. He then allegedly concocted a plan to get back at her, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Kingsley Sawyers.

Valdez started drinking Christmas Eve and went with Diaz to pick up more beer. Before they left the home, however, Valdez hid a hammer near a door so he could reach it and attack Diaz-Hernandez when they returned.

We’ll let the Sun-Times pick up the details from here.

When Valdez and Diaz returned, Valdez unleashed his fury, smashing Diaz in the head multiple times with the hammer, prosecutors alleged. Diaz fell to the floor. When Diaz was dead, Valdez dismembered the body, eventually cutting off Diaz’s head as he played loud music to conceal his actions, Sawyers said.

Valdez also used a butcher knife to cut off Diaz’s ears, nose and mouth, Sawyers said. Valdez allegedly continued acting on his rage by pulling out Diaz’s eyes with his bare hands. He also cut off Diaz’s arms and sliced the dead man’s torso from his neck to his pelvis, Sawyers said.

Valdez left the head, ears and nose on Diaz’s bed because he wanted to leave his aunt a present, Sawyers said.

Valdez eventually became exhausted from cutting up the body, Sawyers said. He called 911 to report a dead body. When the 911 operator asked Valdez if he’d tried CPR, “the defendant laughed and told the 911 operator that the victim had been decapitated,” Sawyers said.

Chicago police say they found Valdez covered in blood at the scene and that he confessed to Diaz Hernandez’s murder. The Sun-Times quotes Sawyers as saying Valdez “would have killed (his aunt) as well” because he was angry with her and Diaz-Hernandez. Valdez has been ordered held without bond by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Peggy Chiampas.