Reputed gang member charged with killing woman on her way home from church

A reputed gang member has been charged with gunning down a 37-year-old woman as she made her way home from church with her husband on the Northwest Side.

Cook County prosecutors Monday said it was still unclear why Maria Reveron was shot to death on March 24 but they theorized that it was a case of mistaken identity.

Marco Pulido, 29, had left a party in his friend’s BMW X5 to pick up more alcohol. While on his liquor run, Pulido allegedly started tailgating the Reverons white four-door sedan in the 2600 block of North Long Avenue.

From the BMW, Pulido fired one round into the window of the vehicle Reveron’s husband was driving “for reasons, at this point, that are unknown,” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.

The shooting caused the couple’s car to crash.

Reveron, who suffered a gunshot wound to the back of her head, was taken to the hospital and died two days later, Murphy said.

Less than an hour after the shooting, Pulido returned to the party without alcohol. Witnesses noted that Pulido “appeared nervous and his hands were shaking,” Murphy said.

While surveillance video showed the black BMW following the white sedan and showed the BMW fleeing the area, it didn’t capture the shooting, Murphy said.

It would have been impossible for someone else to get out of the BMW during the brief minute the car was in a blind spot, Murphy contended.

Assistant public defender Mark Douglas argued that “if there are somebody getting in or out of that car, it wouldn’t ... take a long time.”

Right after the shooting, Pulido was also caught on surveillance video at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru, Murphy said.

Pulido, a self-admitted Maniac Latin Disciple, identified himself in a still image at the business, but he denied his involvement in the shooting, Murphy said. The owner of the BMW — which has a broken taillight, damaged roof rack and sticker in the windshield — also identified Pulido in the still photo, Murphy said.

Pulido was taken into custody Saturday.

Detectives saw that messages from March 24 on Pulido’s cellphone were deleted, Murphy said.

Investigators are still awaiting information on the geographical location of Pulido’s phone the night of the shooting, although they did find a video of him holding a 9mm handgun that day at 10:44 p.m., Murphy said. A 9mm shell casing was recovered from the scene of the shooting, Murphy said.

Pulido has two prior felony convictions, including a 2010 burglary. He also had a warrant for his arrest for a domestic battery, according to court testimony.

Pulido lives with his mother, uncle and cousin and cares for his three sons — all under 8, Douglas said. He also works full-time at a Northwest Side barbershop and is working to get his GED, the assistant public defender added.

Pulido was ordered held without bail for Reveron’s murder.

He is expected back in court on April 23.