Man Wanted For CA Murder Dies After Shooting In St. Charles

KANE COUNTY, IL — A man wanted in connection with a murder in California died Wednesday shortly after police believe he shot himself outside his relatives' St. Charles Township home. Around 3 p.m., Kane County Sheriff’s deputies, along with St. Charles police, responded to a home in the 3600 block of Bittersweet Road for a reported sighting of 51-year-old Mark Sypien.

Upon arrival, officers heard a gunshot and found a man, identified as Sypien, on the front lawn suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff's office.

Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain confirmed to Patch that Sypien was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived at Delnor hospital in Geneva. No one else was injured in the incident.

The DeKalb Daily Chronicle reported Wednesday that police warned Sypien might be headed back to Illinois from California. Police told the Chronicle he showed up outside his parents' home in St. Charles Township, prompting his parents to barricade themselves in the basement. He shot himself a short time later, according to police.

The Contra Costa County Coroner's Office in California identified another man found dead Sunday afternoon, Feb. 24, as 76-year-old John Moore. Moore, a resident of Danville, California, was discovered in the 3400 block of Fostoria Way at about 2:25 p.m. after police responded to reports of gunshots, Danville town spokesman Geoff Gillette told Patch.

Sypien's last known address is in the Dublin, California area.

Prior to Moore's murder, Sypien had reportedly dated one of Moore's daughters in the late 2000s. After the relationship ended in 2014, Moore requested a restraining order against the Illinois native, writing, "[Sypien's] recent history and past criminal record shows he has the capacity to be violent and harm women without remorse," Mercury News reported. Court records dating back five years accuse Sypien of threats, domestic violence, stalking and harassment.

Moore also reportedly received harassing emails from Sypien, who claimed Moore owed him hundreds of thousands of dollars. “You honestly can’t think I was going to let you destroy ever [sic] aspect of my life and get away with it ... See u soon” Sypien wrote, according to the Mercury News.

Sypien also has a criminal record in Illinois, where he served 60 days of a 120-day sentence in 2017 for violating an order of protection in DeKalb County by speaking to his daughter. He reportedly told her he "wasn't going to jail, and won't come back to Illinois unless [his daugher's] mom dies," according to the Daily Chronicle.

In May 2018, another DeKalb County arrest warrant was issued for Sypien after he failed to complete a court-mandated partner abuse prevention program.

An Illinois woman who dated Sypien told the Chronicle she feared he would return to the state to harm her, calling him "a very volatile sociopath."

Police in California said they were aware of Sypien's death.

“While we regret the further loss of life, we are pleased that we were able to resolve the case,” Danville Police Chief Allan Shields said of Moore's murder. “We are very grateful for the collaboration and assistance of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in investigating this crime and bringing closure to the family and friends of Mr. Moore.”

Patch will continue updating this breaking story.