A man has been apprehended and charged in connection with a murder in downtown Chicago that took place more than two decades ago. This comes after an extensive international manhunt.
Authorities announced that David Barklow, aged 68, was extradited to Chicago from South America on Friday.
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According to Chicago police, Barklow is accused of fatally shooting 40-year-old Kent Projansky on December 18, 2004, inside Projansky’s apartment located on the 1100 block of N. Dearborn in the Near North neighborhood.
Investigators discovered that Barklow resided across the street from Projansky at the time of the incident. He was arrested on October 16, 2019, by the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force after an investigation.
Police reported that Barklow managed to escape the country in December 2019. In early 2022, it was determined that he had relocated to Ecuador.
Authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Barklow on charges of First Degree Murder and Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.
In April 2025, detectives learned from INTERPOL that Barklow traveled from Ecuador to Peru, CPD said. “The U.S. Department of Justice, the DOJ’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. State Department, the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru and Peruvian authorities” worked together to arrest Barklow.
The suspect is now back in Chicago and has been charged with one felony count of First-Degree Murder, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said. It was not yet announced when he will appear in court.
“This investigation highlights the relentless work of CPD’s homicide detectives,” the Chicago Police Department said in a statement. “No matter how many years passed, detectives continued to work the case until this offender was in custody. They were determined to pursue justice for Projansky and bring a small measure of closure to his family, who for more than two decades, grieved knowing the offender responsible for the murder of their loved one was living freely. CPD’s detectives will continue to pursue justice, just as they did in this case, for all who have been victimized and traumatized by violence.”
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