In July 2010, Edwin Paniagua, 15, of Elk Grove Township with an unincorporated Arlington Heights address, and Marko Guardiola, 37, a homeless man, were charged with first-degree murder after they were accused of tying up Jean Wattecamps with computer cords while they demanded money and searched his apartment. Next Guardiola allegedly stabbed Wattecamps eight times.
Wattecamps failed to show up for work as a baggage handler supervisor for United Airlines and didn’t responded to telephone calls to check for his well-being. He was later found dead on his couch with the murder weapon still protruding from his back.
In December 2011, Edwin Paniagua, 17, was charged with one count of solicitation of murder for hire while he was already without bail for murder and home invasion in the Wattecamps case.
Paniagua is accused of offering an undercover police officer $2,000 on December 17, 2011 to have a witness in the case killed. The conversation between Paniagua and the undercover police officer was recorded under a court order signed by Judge Paul Biebel.
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