Man charged with killing his girlfriend inside Cicero apartment

A Cicero man has been charged with killing his girlfriend earlier this week inside an apartment in the west suburb, authorities announced Friday.

Esteban Basaldua, 27, was arrested at the scene Wednesday in the 5400 block of West 22nd Place, according to Cicero police.

Officers had been called for a wellbeing check at the building. They found the woman, identified as 28-year-old Christian Duarte, dead on the living room carpet with stab wounds, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. She was a mother of three children, all under the age of 9.

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Basaldua, whom police called Duarte’s on-and-off boyfriend, was there when officers arrived, and he allegedly admitted to the crime several times. Police said their relationship had a history of domestic violence.

Basaldua was charged with first-degree murder. A judge ordered him held without bail at the Cook County Jail.

Basaldua’s next court date is Sept. 19.