‘I have something to confess’

A 28-year-old Illinois man has been jailed after authorities say he killed his estranged wife by strangling her with a vacuum cleaner cord during an argument.

Brian Collin Hernandez is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, along with one count of disorderly conduct and one count of interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The case centers on the death of 24-year-old Estefania Abril-Hernandez. Her family reported her missing on March 18, prompting authorities to begin searching for her.

The following day, Illinois State Police located her vehicle traveling on Interstate 80. Troopers conducted a traffic stop and found Hernandez driving the car. Officials say he was also in possession of his wife’s cellphone. Hernandez was taken into custody.

Investigators then went to the couple’s former residence on the 100 block of 1S Ingersoll Road in Villa Park, an unincorporated community outside Chicago. Shortly before 4 a.m., authorities entered the home through an unlocked window.

Inside a second-floor bedroom, officers found Abril-Hernandez dead on a bed with a vacuum power cord wrapped tightly around her neck.

Authorities believe the couple had gone to the house the day she was reported missing to clean the property and collect belongings ahead of a foreclosure auction scheduled for the following day. While there, investigators say the two began arguing.

Prosecutors allege the dispute escalated into a physical confrontation, during which Hernandez wrapped a vacuum cleaner cord around Abril-Hernandez’s neck more than nine times, strangling her. Afterward, investigators say he left the home.

During the investigation, authorities reportedly found text messages Hernandez sent to another person saying, “Hey [redacted] please call me I have something to confess please” and “I’m pretty sure estefania is dead.”

Prosecutors also noted Hernandez had a recent criminal history involving the victim. An order of protection had been issued against him that barred contact with Abril-Hernandez and the couple’s son. In that earlier case, he was accused of interfering when she attempted to report domestic violence. Hernandez was already out on pretrial release and had an active warrant for failing to appear in court in that matter.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said the case is especially troubling because Hernandez allegedly committed the killing despite the existing protection order and pending charges.

Hernandez is currently being held in the DuPage County Jail without bond after a judge denied him pretrial release Monday.

He is scheduled to return to court on April 6.