An Illinois man who opened fire on a young father playing Pokemon Go with his 6-year-old daughter in a park has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
According to local ABC affiliate WLS, 23-year-old Khiryan Monroe pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday, three years after being arrested for the murder of 29-year-old Servando Hamros. Monroe was charged with killing Hamros while he was playing Pokemon Go with his 6-year-old daughter in an Evanston, Illinois park. Police said at the time that Hamros caught Monroe and his girlfriend in a sexual act and allegedly recorded the couple on his cellphone.
When Monroe spotted Hamros, he and the woman fled. Monroe returned home to retrieve his gun, which he used to shoot multiple times at Hamros while his daughter was present.
According to court documents obtained by local CBS affiliate WBBM, Monroe surrendered weeks after the July 14, 2022 shooting, which left a young girl as a witness to her father’s death. Monroe told police that he and his girlfriend were robbed by Hamros, who was carrying a gun at the time of the shooting, and that he shot in self-defense.
Hamros’ family members disputed the claim, despite court documents indicating that one of the couple’s phones was discovered in Hamros’ pocket. WLS reported that both of the couple’s phones were discovered near Hamros on the scene. Monroe’s attorney, Herb Goldberg, told WBBM that Hamros “was an armed robber, and these kids went back to get their phones.” “They were buck naked when they left.”
Monroe and his girlfriend returned to the scene after retrieving his gun from the house. He then drove alongside the park where he first encountered Hamros and fired 17 shots, killing him as his daughter watched. According to local NBC affiliate WMAQ, Hamros’ daughter called her family via FaceTime while hiding from the gunfire that killed her father. She allegedly told her family, “Daddy’s shot. Daddy’s shot. Please come and help me!”
According to WLS, Monroe and his girlfriend were captured on his home’s Ring camera shortly after the shooting, with Monroe holding a weapon. Prosecutors also claimed that another individual was seen leaving the house wearing latex gloves and carrying something in a bag.
Monroe pleaded guilty to one charge of second-degree murder on Tuesday and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He received credit for his time served.
