Tragic Discovery in Michigan Woods Following Distressing Phone Call
The body of 24-year-old Gabriella Cartagena has been discovered in a remote wooded area of Menominee County, Michigan, five days after her family received a harrowing phone call where she pleaded for her life. Her boyfriend, 29-year-old Robert Chilcote, is currently in police custody in Minnesota, identified as a person of interest in her death.
Desperate Final Moments Revealed Through Family Account
Cartagena was last seen at approximately 5 p.m. on February 4 at her residence in Marinette, Wisconsin. Later that evening, around 7:20 p.m., she made a deeply troubling telephone call to her mother. According to family members who later spoke with authorities, during this conversation they could clearly hear Cartagena in extreme distress as she cried out, "Please don't shoot me. I'm sorry." before the connection was lost.
The following day, February 5, Cartagena was officially reported as a missing person to local law enforcement agencies. Her remains were ultimately located on February 9 in a secluded wooded section off Birch Creek Road in neighboring Menominee County, Michigan.
Police Investigation Uncovers Blood Evidence and High-Speed Chase
Investigators learned from family interviews that Cartagena was believed to be with her boyfriend Robert Chilcote at Red Arrow Park in Wisconsin prior to her disappearance. Marinette Police Department Chief John LaCombe confirmed during a Thursday press conference that when officers initially responded to the park following the missing persons report, they discovered signs of blood and other disturbances that immediately prompted them to treat the location as an active crime scene.
"While looking around the scene, we found some signs of possible blood and other disturbances in the area, which led us to believe that this was a scene we needed to focus on from the start," Chief LaCombe stated during the briefing.
Police subsequently tracked Chilcote to Minnesota, where on February 5 he led authorities on a dramatic 16-minute vehicle pursuit reaching speeds up to 100 miles per hour before being apprehended. Multiple firearms were discovered inside his vehicle at the time of arrest, though investigators have not yet confirmed whether these weapons were involved in Cartagena's death.
Complex Investigation Utilizes Surveillance and Cellular Data
Following Chilcote's detention, it took an additional four days to locate Cartagena's body. Law enforcement utilized surveillance footage from area businesses combined with detailed cell tower data to reconstruct Chilcote's movements after Cartagena's disappearance. This technological evidence ultimately directed investigators to the wooded region near Birch Creek Road where her remains were found on Tuesday morning.
Chief LaCombe indicated that police believe Cartagena was killed at Red Arrow Park in Wisconsin before her body was transported to the Michigan location where it was discovered. Authorities conducted multiple searches of the area before making the tragic discovery.
Legal Proceedings and Community Impact
Robert Chilcote is currently being held on a $100,000 bond in Minnesota on charges of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and being a fugitive from justice from another state. Marinette County District Attorney DeShea Morrow confirmed that her office is awaiting autopsy results for Cartagena before filing additional charges, with extradition proceedings already underway to return Chilcote to Wisconsin.
Authorities have not disclosed a potential motive for the crime. While police confirmed that Cartagena and Chilcote lived together in Marinette, there were no prior domestic disturbance reports involving the couple. Chief LaCombe stated that Chilcote remains the sole suspect in the investigation.
"We remain committed to seeking justice and ensuring the safety of our community," LaCombe emphasized during his public remarks.
Cartagena, who had relocated to Marinette from the Milwaukee area approximately one year ago with her family, leaves behind a three-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. Her brother has established a GoFundMe campaign to support the family, noting that "their family is still trying to process this sudden loss."
