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Man Charged With Stabbing Girlfriend To Death

CHICAGO (STMW) -- Emilio Izguirre cried in court Tuesday as prosecutors detailed how he allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend's Lower West Side home early Sunday and stabbed her more than 20 times in the head and neck.

As Izguirre, 33, stood in a paper gown, prosecutors said the Berwyn man later told police that Joanna Lopez deserved to die because she was with her new boyfriend, and had brought the attack upon herself, according to court documents.

Izguirre broke into Lopez' home in the 1700 block of West 21st Place about 6:45 a.m. Sunday and found her asleep with her new boyfriend, according to court documents. He punched the sleeping man in the face while yelling at his ex-girlfriend.

The boyfriend woke up, ran to a nearby gas station and asked a clerk to call 911, according to court documents. When responding officers knocked on Lopez' door, Izguirre answered, covered in blood, then closed the door.

Police forced their way in and found Izguirre kneeling in a back bedroom next to Lopez -- who was lying on her back and covered in blood from more than 20 stab wounds to the head and neck, according to court documents.

Lopez, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. An autopsy determined she died of multiple stab wounds and her death was ruled a homicide.

Police recovered five knives in the home, including one that was in Lopez' neck and another found in Izguirre's pocket, according to court documents.

Izguirre was charged with first-degree murder and home invasion causing injury or death. Judge Israel Desierto ordered him held on a $1.5 million bond for the stabbing, and no bond for violating conditions of bail in a pending aggravated battery to a police officer case from June 2011.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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