ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. Prosecutors say the man charged with shooting and killing his daughter-in-law in the parking lot of an Illinois hotel over the weekend, reportedly upset that she had just filed for divorce from his son, killed her “execution style” and planned on committing suicide after the shooting.
Police in Schaumburg, Illinois, said a citizen restrained him on the ground until officers arrived and took him into custody.
Roland Schmidt, 76, of Stillman Valley, Ill., made his first court appearance Monday at the Rolling Meadows Courthouse. He’s charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing Christine Moyer, 45, of Galena, Ohio, late Friday night outside the Marriott Hotel at 50 North Martingale Road in northwest suburban Schaumburg.
Schmidt was denied pre-trial release Monday, despite having no criminal history. Prosecutors alleged in court that Schmidt planned to murder his daughter-in-law a week ago.
Detectives say Schmidt and Moyer were both attending the same wedding Friday night in Schaumburg. According to police, Moyer was leaving the wedding and Schmidt followed her outside and shot her in the head.
Police say officers responding to the Marriott Hotel around 10:15 p.m. Friday to investigate a shooting found a woman, later identified as Moyer, outside near the front entrance to the hotel.
Moyer had sustained a single gunshot wound and was taken to Lutheran General Hospital, where she died, according to investigators. The gun used in the shooting was recovered at the scene, police say.
‘Pray for her children’
Prosecutors on Monday described Moyer as a person loved by all. She had flown into Illinois to attend the wedding Friday.
Prosecutors say Moyer had just filed for divorce from Schmidt’s son, but nobody at the wedding knew that other than Schmidt and his ex-wife.
Witnesses told police there was nothing out of the ordinary at the wedding. However, they say as Moyer left the venue with several family members, they noticed Schmidt walking toward them rather quickly, which was unusual since he uses a cane.
As Moyer turned, witnesses say she was shot in the back of the head. Several people jumped in to restrain Schmidt and take his gun away.
Court records from Delaware County, Ohio, revealed a mutual restraining order between Moyer and her husband of 16 years, identified as Michael Schmidt.
According to prosecutors, Michael attended the same wedding at the hotel. Their two children were with a babysitter at the time of the shooting due to the wedding being adults-only.
Two people in court who appeared to know Schmidt declined to speak with affiliate WGN, only saying, “Pray for her children.”
