Silvestre Diaz, 41, was murdered on December 25, 2013, in the Hermosa neighborhood of Chicago. He lived on the 2500 block of North Kildare Avenue with his girlfriend and her nephew, Alexis Valdez, who was 18 at the time.

Valdez allegedly struck Diaz repeatedly in the head with the hammer until Diaz fell and died, then dismembered him, removing the head, ears, nose and eyes and placing some parts on Diaz’s bed. Valdez reportedly called 911, laughing and saying the victim had been decapitated; police found him blood-covered and he confessed. Authorities say Valdez had also expressed an intention to kill his aunt had she been present. Valdez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and held without bond.