Waukegan

Suspects Arrested, Charged in Murder of Waukegan Volleyball Coach

A 23-year-old woman’s murder in early May shocked the Chicago area, but officials say they have apprehended two suspects in her death.

Niolis Collazo was shot and killed May 6 near the intersection of 10th Street and Lewis Avenue in suburban Waukegan. Police say that they responded to a call of shots fired and discovered her inside of a vehicle.

She was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

On Thursday, police executed search warrants simultaneously at two different Waukegan residences, authorities said.

Both suspects were located during those searches, and both were taken into custody. A 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, who will be tried as adults, were each charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the killing, and both were ordered held on $5 million bond.

“While nothing we ever can do will fully erase the Collazo’s family pain and anguish during this time, I am pleased the Waukegan Police Department and the Lake County State’s Attorney successfully collaborated in the arrests that occurred earlier this morning,” Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said in a statement.

During the searches, a detective located two handguns at one of the two residences. At the other, four handguns were found, including a gun with a fully-automatic switch attached.

The shooting stunned residents in Waukegan and around the area. Collazo was a freshman volleyball coach and a counselor for the Waukegan School District, according to officials.

No other information on court appearances was immediately available.

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