Pre-trial release denied for Naperville woman accused of murder at Oakbrook Terrace hotel

Pre-trial release was denied Monday for a Naperville woman accused of murdering a man Dec. 2 at an Oakbrook Terrace hotel, authorities said.

Latrice Phillips, 51, of the 1400 block of Normantown Road, appeared in First Appearance Court charged with one count of first-degree murder.

About 8:15 p.m. Dec. 2, Oakbrook Terrace police responded to a call of shots fired at the Hilton Suites, located at 10 Drury Lane. Upon their arrival, police found the victim, Calvin Truitt, with two gunshot wounds to his back/side area. Truitt was immediately taken to a local hospital where he died as a result of his injuries, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

Following an investigation, it is alleged that Phillips got into a verbal altercation with a person in a group of people whom she knew, including Truitt, at the hotel pool. Truitt and his group allegedly left the pool area on got on an elevator. Phillips allegedly followed the group when they left the pool area and got on the elevator with them. When the elevator doors opened on the seventh floor, a fight broke out at which time Phillips allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired three times, striking Truitt, according to the release.

After the shooting, Phillips allegedly left the scene and returned to her hotel room. She was arrested a short time later from her hotel room without incident. When processing Phillips’ hotel room, authorities recovered a Taurus 9 mm handgun in a holster from Phillips’ waistband, according to the release.

“The allegations that Ms. Phillips followed Mr. Truitt and others into a hotel elevator as they walked away from a verbal altercation and then shot and killed Mr. Truitt as they exited the elevator in a crowded hotel during the busy holiday season are shocking and will be met with the full force of the law,” DuPage County Robert Berlin said. “In DuPage County, we do not tolerate any type of gun violence.”

“I would like to thank the men and women in law enforcement for their heroism in responding to an active shooter,” Oakbrook Terrace Chief of Police Casey Calvello said in the release. “Within minutes the officers had administered first aid to the victim, secured a 10-story building to ensure the safety of others, and then apprehended the suspect. The quick actions of the officers are a shining example of law enforcement working together with the help from the State’s Attorney’s office to successfully charge the suspect with first-degree murder.”

Phillips’ next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 4 for arraignment.