Man Crashes Dead Suburban Woman's Car Into Home
Updated 06/03/14 - 7:07 p.m.
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (CBS) -- A man who turned out to be a person of interest in a death investigation crashed a stolen car into a home in north suburban Mundelein, following a brief police chase Tuesday morning.
The man is a suspect in the death investigation of Karen Scavelli. Scavelli, 48, was found dead in her home Monday night.
According to the McHenry County coroner, preliminary autopsy results indicated Scavelli died from blunt force trauma.
Mundelein police said they were called shortly before 8:30 a.m. about a man who stole an employee's purse at the Gale Street Inn at 935 Diamond Lake Road.
When officers spotted the car and tried to pull it over, the driver made a u-turn at the intersection of Diamond Lake Road and Route 45, and began heading south. He sped up as police gave chase, and crashed into a home in the 1100 block of Diamond Lake Road.
Mundelein police said the vehicle had been stolen from an Island Lake home where a murdered woman was found on Monday. McHenry County Sheriff's police said the driver, who is 49 or 50 years old, is a person of interest in a death investigation in the 700 block of Dartmouth Drive in Island Lake. McHenry County Sheriff's Police and the McHenry County Coroner's office were called to that location around 9:30 p.m. Monday to assist Island Lake Police in a death investigation after someone was found dead inside the home on Dartmouth Drive.
The dead woman has been identified as Karen Scavelli. According to the McHenry County coroner, preliminary autopsy results indicated Scavelli died from blunt force trauma.
CBS 2's Mai Martinez spoke with Scavelli's neighbor Celeste Carver.
"It's just heart wrenching when you're not knowing what's going on, especially when it's your neighbor," said Carver.
Celeste Carver knew Scavelli for nine years. She says Scavelli had three grown children and her daughter still lived at home.
"She was a great neighbor, no conflict, loved the kids," said Carver.