Former Chicago police officer Jacqueline Villasenor pleaded guilty on Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter of her husband, who was also a Chicago police officer. The tragic incident occurred in November 2021 during a heated argument in their Jefferson Park home. The dispute arose over an affair that Villasenor had in the past, leading to a struggle over her firearm.
As the argument escalated, Villasenor brandished her firearm and threatened to take her own life. In the chaos that ensued, her husband attempted to wrestle the weapon away from her, resulting in a fatal shot to his chest. Despite Villasenor’s efforts to perform CPR on her husband, he tragically did not survive the gunshot wound.
Following the incident, Villasenor resigned from the police force once charges were filed against her. During the sentencing, Judge Arthur Willis handed down a sentence of six years and four months in prison. However, due to Villasenor accumulating 1,162 days of credit while awaiting trial, she is expected to serve only one week behind bars.
Illinois law mandates that individuals on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial receive credit towards their prison sentence for each day spent on house arrest. Combined with the state’s automatic 50% sentence reduction, Villasenor is slated for release from custody in the coming week.
The tragic case highlights the devastating consequences of domestic disputes and the importance of responsible firearm handling. As Villasenor prepares to serve her shortened sentence, the community mourns the loss of both a dedicated police officer and a life cut short by a moment of tragic violence.
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