New details released after 5 people, including 2 young children, found dead in home on Acacia Terrace on the north side of Buffalo Grove near Route 22 and Route 83 in Lake County (FOX 32 Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek on Friday, December 2, 2022 said an autopsy on a fifth person found dead in the Buffalo Grove home at 2830 Acacia Terrace this week indicated the death was a result of sharp-force injuries following a “domestic-related incident.”
On Thursday, December 1, 2022, at an outdoor press conference at the Buffalo Grove Police Department, Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek announced that four people found deceased in the home died of sharp-force injuries. Banek said Thursday, December 1, 2022 that the autopsy on a fifth person had not been completed, and was expected to be completed on Thursday afternoon. All five deaths were due to sharp force injuries.
To reiterate last night’s media release – yesterday, November 30 at 11:12 AM, Buffalo Grove police were dispatched to a single-family residence in the 2800 block of Acacia Terrace, following a call for a well-being check on an adult female. Upon arrival, police were unable to make contact with anyone inside the home. Forced entry was deemed necessary, and a sweep of the home was conducted. Five deceased individuals were found. The preliminary investigation indicates this was a domestic related incident, and there remains no threat to the public.
— Buffalo Grove Police Chief Brian Budds (Dec. 1, 2022)
During press conference, Buffalo Grove Police Chief Brian Budd’s statement was very short and restricted, and was finished before the press conference was scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. — Chief Budd began his statement about 1:58 p.m. Information about the case was given in approximately 45 seconds, and the information mostly reiterated information that was provided in a Village of Buffalo Grove press release on Wednesday evening, November 30, 2022.
Banek’s statement followed the police chief’s statement, and included the identity and ages of all five people who were found dead in the house.
The deceased were identified as …
Andrei Kisliak, age 39
Vera Kisliak, age 36
Vivian Kisliak, age 6
Lilia Kisliak, age 67
Amilia Kisliak, age 4
No information was provided regarding …
where the victims were found in the home,
whether a weapon was identified,
whether there was an active order of protection,
whether Andrei Kisliak was wearing an ankle monitor,
whether police had been at the home previously,
whether Andrei Kisliak had been arrested recently, and
how long the murdered people may have been deceased.
While the Village of Buffalo Grove did provide the time of dispatch of police to the house as 11:12 a.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2022, the timeline of the significant incident events was not released. The Village of Buffalo Grove did not provide a timeline regarding …
when the check for well-being call was placed to 9-1-1,
when the police became aware that the two children did not arrive to attend school,
when the police knew it was necessary to respond to the house on Acacia Terrace,
when the police first arrived at the home crime scene,
when the police made the decision to force entry into the home,
when the bodies were discovered,
whether all bodies were discovered together in a short time period,
when fire department paramedics were dispatched,
when it was determined that all victims were deceased, or when they were pronounced dead, and
when the Lake County Coroner’s Office estimates that each death occurred.
At the press conference Thursday, police continued to classify the incident as a domestic-related incident with no threat to the public, but did not identify an offender. Although unnamed sources have described the domestic-related incident as a murder-suicide, there was no official announcement indicating a murder-suicide at the press conference.
Only 11 questions were permitted at the end of the press conference.
Questions presented by news media to Police Chief Brian Budds and Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek (answers from Police Chief Brian Budd unless specified otherwise) …
Question 1: Were there survivors?
Answer 1: There were no survivors, and there was no information to indicate otherwise.
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Question 2: Did you find a weapon?
Answer 2: No answer, because of stated risk to compromise the integrity of the investigation.
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Question 3: Who called in the well-being check?
Answer 3: It was determined that it was a co-worker (that called in the well-being check).
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Question 4: Lake County Court records show that there was an Order of Protection applied to Andrei Kisliak; will you comment on that?
Answer 4: No answer, because of stated risk to compromise the integrity of the investigation.
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Question 5: When was the last time the police arrived at the home of the murders (prior to the murders)?
Answer 5: No answer, because of stated risk to compromise the integrity of the investigation.
***************
Question 6: This was a question about the effect on the officers who made the gruesome discovery.
Answer 6: Explanation provided, including … “It’s devastating and traumatic as you can imagine” … “we will heal.”
***************
Question 7: Did you know how long the victims were deceased before you got there?
Answer 7: No answer, because of stated risk to compromise the integrity of the investigation.
***************
Question 8: Were there non-human victims?
Answer 8: I can confirm there was one animal that was deceased.
***************
Question 9: Where were the victims found?
Answere 9: No answer, because of stated risk to compromise the integrity of the investigation.
***************
Question 10: Can you confirm or deny who was responsible for the death of the victims?
Answer: 10: No answer, because of stated risk to compromise the integrity of the investigation.
***************
Question 11: When will the last autopsy be performed?
Answer 11: Banek answered, “later today (Thursday).”
***************
Question 12. Can you speak a little to the background of the victims; what they did?
Answer 12: No response, as officials exited the press conference.
The press conference was closed by Director of Communications and Community Engagement Molly Gillespie with a signoff that thanked the news media for attending the press conference, and invited media to contact her, and provided the final words, “Have a great day.”
Since there was no official acknowledgment at the press conference that Andrei Kisliak was identified as the offender responsible for the murders, the community was left unsure whether there is another person that might have targeted this family — a person not considered by police to be a threat to the general community, but was a threat to the Kisliak family. Why was there no explanation or acknowledgement that this process of the investigation is in progress? Unnamed sources have informed Cardinal News and other news media companies that Andrei Kisliak is believed to be the killer, who then committed suicide. Why not explain that Andrei Kisliak is the primary suspect, but that investigators are working to rule out the existence of an offender outside the family?
There is criticism in the Buffalo Grove community that this incident is an example that an Order of Protection is worthless, and that the amount paid to bond out for violation of Order of Protection is too low. The greater criticism in the community is directed at perceived failure of the court system compared to police performance; however, the explanations or messaging by the Village of Buffalo Grove appear to lack accountability and responsibility to inform the public, and acknowledge that authorities are working to understand how the system failed the murder victims.
Whether Andrei Kisliak murdered his family, or not; Andrei Kisliak should not have been near Vera Kisliak and the family at the house on Acacia Terrace. At the very least the police should have been notified by an ankle monitor alert. Since Andrei Kisliak had an order of protection, why was there no functioning ankle monitor applied to Andrei Kisliak, which would have notified police when Andrei Kisliak was in a proximity that posed an increased risk to Vera Kisliak and the family? This question is raised the same week of news that a suspect Ilan Gibori charged with Criminal Sexual Assault in 2021, who was a flight risk after fleeing to Texas in 2021, broke his ankle monitor and fled his home in November 2022, and was at large.