Background: News footage from Evanston, Ill., where Servando Hamros was killed in July 2022 (WLS). Inset: Khiryan Monroe (Evanston Police Department).
An Illinois man who opened fire on a young father playing Pokemon Go with his 6-year-old daughter in a park pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Local ABC affiliate WLS reported that 23-year-old Khiryan Monroe pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday, three years after being arrested for the murder of 29-year-old Servando Hamros. Monroe was accused of killing Hamros as he played Pokemon Go with his 6-year-old daughter in an Evanston, Illinois park. At the time, authorities stated that Hamros caught Monroe and his girlfriend in a sexual act and allegedly recorded the scene on his cellphone.
Upon being noticed by Hamros, Monroe and the woman fled. He then returned home to retrieve a gun, which he used to fire several shots at Hamros while the victim’s daughter was present.
Court documents obtained by local CBS affiliate WBBM revealed that Monroe surrendered to authorities weeks after the July 14, 2022, shooting, which left a young girl witnessing her father’s death. Monroe claimed to the police that he and his girlfriend were allegedly robbed by Hamros, whom the police noted was armed during the incident, thus Monroe acted in self-defense.
Family members of Hamros contested that allegation, although court records mentioned that one of the couple’s phones was discovered in Hamros’ pocket. WLS reported that both phones belonging to the couple were found near Hamros’ body. Monroe’s attorney, Herb Goldberg, told WBBM that Hamros “was an armed robber, and these kids returned to retrieve their phones. They were completely naked when they left.”
After picking up his gun from home, Monroe and his girlfriend drove back to the park where the encounter with Hamros initially took place. He then fired approximately 17 shots, fatally striking Hamros as his daughter watched. Local NBC affiliate WMAQ reported that Hamros’ daughter used FaceTime to contact her family while she hid from the gunfire that killed her father. She reportedly cried out to her family, “Daddy’s shot, Daddy’s shot. Please come help me, please come help me!”
WLS reported that according to prosecutors, Monroe and his girlfriend were seen on his home’s Ring camera after the shooting, and Monroe could be seen holding a weapon. Prosecutors also said that another person was seen leaving the home wearing latex gloves and carrying something in a bag.
Monroe entered his guilty plea for one charge of second-degree murder on Tuesday and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He received credit for time served.
