Geneva Police continue to investigate woman’s death as ‘person of interest’ remains in custody

GENEVA – Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of a Geneva woman found shot to death outside her home in the 700 block of McKinley Avenue, Cmdr. Brian Maduzia said.

Police were following up on a request for a wellbeing check when they found the 43-year-old woman dead from a fatal gunshot wound in her yard.

“All we are willing to release at this point was in the press release,” Maduzia said. “This is a major investigation involving the Kane County Major Crime Task Force, which is comprised of detectives and evidence technicians from throughout the county and our investigation division.”

Police went to the house to do a wellbeing check after being called by a relative in the Chicago area, eventually finding the woman shot to death in the yard.

Police took a male family member into custody as a person of interest, he said.

“There are no charges,” Maduzia said. “We have not arrested anyone.”

Because Geneva police could not continue to house the male family member in their lockup, Maduzia said the sheriff agreed to house him at the Kane County jail while their investigation continues.

According to detainee information online, a man identified only as John Doe was taken into custody at the jail shortly before 5 p.m. on May 5, without any charges listed or mug photo shown.

In a text, Sheriff Ron Hain confirmed that John Doe was an “investigative hold by Geneva PD.”

Maduzia said police were called to the McKinley address once this past January for a domestic, but it was a verbal argument and no arrests were made.

Police have the gun that was used in the shooting, but Maduzia would not say what caliber, nor any other details about the woman or her death.

“We are not calling this a homicide,” Maduzia said. “That is still yet to be determined by investigation.”

Maduzia would not comment on whether the woman’s death was a possible suicide.

“This is a suspicious death investigation,” Maduzia said.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell stated in a text message that his office would release woman’s identity sometime Friday.