A man has been charged in connection with the murder of a young father and U.S. Army veteran on Chicago’s Northwest Side earlier this year, according to Chicago police. The announcement came on Saturday, shedding light on the January incident that left the community in mourning.
Jonathan Roldan, a 35-year-old resident of Chicago, was taken into custody on Thursday. He faces a first-degree murder charge stemming from the fatal shooting that occurred on January 23.
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Authorities allege that Roldan shot 30-year-old Andrew Garay while Garay was seated in his vehicle on the 3500 block of West Wabansia Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. The incident took place around 9 p.m., marking a tragic end to that evening.
Back in January, ABC7 interviewed Garay’s family, who shared their grief and memories of him.
“He kissed me on my forehead three hours before and said, ‘Mom, I’ll be back in a little bit,'” recalled Debbie Knutt, Garay’s mother, as she recounted those final moments with her son.
According to Garay’s family, he had just dropped off his girlfriend and her daughter at their home before the sound of gunfire broke the night’s silence.
“They just got out of the car,” said Samantha Knutt, the victim’s sister. “They were up right at the apartment door when it happened.”
Why anyone would want to harm Garay has been a mystery to his loved ones.
“It’s just been complete shock, honestly. I don’t think any of us really genuinely know how to feel or even accept that he’s gone,” Samantha said.
They remember him as selfless, hardworking, and someone who got along with everyone.
“Andrew just exuded this presence that made you feel safe, and he made you feel happy like I’ve never seen anybody, not like Andrew,” said Karjan Dambaugh, the victim’s cousin. “If he loved you, he loved with everything… He was the person that would show up randomly and just make everything right.”
Garay’s family said he lived on the Northwest Side, and after leaving the Army, worked as a package delivery driver. He leaves behind a 7-year-old daughter.
“He would do anything under the sun for that girl. If she needed anything, okay, daddy’s got it. You want to play games? Daddy’s got it,” Samantha said.
Relatives say Garay aspired to be a Chicago police officer and was working toward applying.
Roldan is due in court on Sunday.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
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