Jun 21, 2008 10:16 pm US/Central
Man Charged With Rape and Murder of 71-Yr.-Old
25-Year-Old Being Held Without Bond
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Danelo Solis was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault following the murder of Dorothy Brown Taylor, who was discovered bludgeoned and strangled to death with her poodle Frisky June 16, 2008.
CBS
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Dorothy Brown Taylor was found strangled, bludgeoned and raped June 16, along side her dog. A 25-year-old man working in her basement was arrested June 21 for her death.
CBS
It was a brutal crime that shocked a South Side neighborhood. A 71-year-old woman was found beaten, along with her dog, on Monday. Saturday, police announced they've charged a 25-year-old man with the attack. CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports.
The family of murder victim Dorothy Brown Taylor is still struggling for answers even after the arrest.
Danelo Solis, of the 3400 block of West 37th Place, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault following the murder of Dorothy Brown Taylor, who was discovered bludgeoned and strangled to death with her poodle Frisky Monday.
Solis, 25, is accused of raping and murdering Taylor on June 16 in the 7200 block of South Coles Avenue, police said.
Solis is also charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, police said.
"I have some closure knowing an individual has been caught and the things he's been charged with, but I still feel horrible," said Taylor's son, Derrick.
"She's a senior and senior citizens are vulnerable and the act in itself makes it hideous," said Chicago Police Commander Eddie Welch.
Police said Solis was doing work in Taylor's basement in the 7200 block of S. Coles when some type of argument broke out. She was raped, bludgeoned and strangled. Taylor was found unresponsive on the basement floor just before 12:30 p.m. Monday. Detectives were looking for Solis for questioning and took him into custody Friday afternoon.
"When the initial officers arrived, he made statements that in fact would incriminate him and placed him under arrest," Welch said.
It's unclear what sparked the argument or if Solis had done work for Taylor previously.
"She didn't know any strangers basically, so she treated everyone as if she's known you for a million years," Taylor said.
Her only son, Derrick Taylor, has served in the Air Force for 20 years and said he's been to war and back. He says nothing compares to this. The family is relying on their faith to help them cope.
"Because of God and my family, we are going to get through this," he said.
Taylor's funeral is scheduled for June 24.
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