A Maywood woman is behind bars today facing murder charges for a West Side carjacking that claimed the life of a hardworking young man.
Montoya Perry, 33, was arrested Monday afternoon by Chicago Police.
Investigators say Perry participated in a violent vehicular hijacking earlier that morning.
The incident occurred in the 5500 block of West Flournoy Street near Loretto Hospital.
The victim was identified as 28-year-old Daniel Figueroa of Downers Grove.
Figueroa was working as an UberEats driver at the time of the attack.
He had recently finished a shift at Amazon and was working extra hours to support his loved ones.
During the hijacking, Figueroa was struck by his own vehicle as the offender fled the scene.
Officers found the young man suffering from critical injuries just after 2:00 a.m.
He was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital but was tragically pronounced dead.
Police tracked Perry to the 600 block of West Legion Street in Maywood about ten hours later.
She now faces one felony count of murder and one felony count of vehicular hijacking.
Figueroa’s girlfriend, Sandra Guerrero, says the family is devastated.
Monday was supposed to be a celebration for her son’s birthday.
Instead, the family spent the day mourning a man described as a devoted father figure.
Guerrero noted that Figueroa treated her son as his own and loved taking care of people.
He worked multiple jobs specifically to ensure the family was provided for.
Recent History
This fatal incident highlights a dangerous trend for gig workers on Chicago’s West Side.
The 15th District has seen a string of delivery-related robberies over the last year.
The Austin neighborhood specifically remains a high-activity zone for vehicular hijackings.
Local residents have expressed growing concern over the safety of drivers near Loretto Hospital.
Similar incidents in the 5500 block of West Flournoy have prompted calls for increased patrols.
Just last month, another delivery driver was held at gunpoint only blocks away.
Crime Chaser data shows that carjackings involving delivery apps often spike during late-night hours.
Advocates for gig workers are now demanding better safety features within delivery apps for Chicago drivers.
Perry is scheduled for a detention hearing today at the 2600 S. California courthouse.
