Baby Shot, 2 Women Killed By Man Found Dead In Park: Cicero Police

CICERO, IL — A man found dead in a park early Wednesday is believed to have killed two women and shot a baby Tuesday night in Cicero, according to police.

Law enforcement responded around 7:45 p.m. to the 1800 block of 48th Court and found Jessica Hughes, 29, and Myeshia Newby, 19, in the basement suffering from gunshot wounds, authorities said, adding both women were pronounced dead at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

"And upon the arrival of officers, they were met with a pretty chaotic scene," Chief Tom Boyle said at a press briefing Wednesday afternoon that was posted on Facebook and live-streamed on WGN. "There were approximately 14 individuals in the single-family dwelling at the time and many of them obviously were screaming and running around."

Rafael Vega, who had a relationship with Newby, was named as the suspect, according to police. A person preliminarily identified as 21-year-old Vega was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head around 6 a.m. at a park in the area of 18th Street and 56th Court, according to police.

At about 10:30 a.m., police learned Newby’s 10-month-old baby was brought to the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound, despite the child’s grandmother repeatedly telling law enforcement he was not hurt in the shooting, authorities said. The baby was in stable condition Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

Hughes' father, Mitchell Benton, told WLS that Hughes and Newby were cousins and that Hughes had been fleeing the gunfire with Newby's and Vega's infant son when she was struck.

"It's devastating for the whole family," Hughes' mother, Michelle Musgray, told WLS. "They were loving, both of them, loving moms, good souls."

There were several children in the home at the time of the first shooting, police said, adding authorities evacuated the house and a neighbor took in the displaced residents.

"We are confident that it's isolated to a domestic situation," Boyle said of the case.