Regina and Margaret DeFrancisco

The Chicago sisters Regina and Margaret DeFrancisco were two teenage girls. The sisters made national headlines for the high-profile murder of Regina's then boyfriend Oscar Velazquez in June 2000.

On June 6, 2000, Regina DeFrancisco called her boyfriend of three weeks, 22-year-old Oscar Velazquez, to her home. The DeFrancisco sisters' friend was at the home. The friend gave Margaret a .38 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Margaret then used the gun to shoot Oscar in the back of his head. Oscar was instantly killed.

After the murder, the DeFrancisco sisters robbed the victim of just over $600. They drove Oscar's body in his 2000 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. That was where the sisters used nail polish remover, then set Oscar's body on fire. A private caller dialed 911 to report the fire. Just after finding Velazquez' body in the fire, he dialed 911 a second time.

The sisters tried to sell the Camaro. They were not successful. Regina and Margaret later abandoned the Camaro and set it on fire. Shortly after, the sisters were questioned by police as suspects in the murder of Oscar Velazquez. The sisters' stories, though, did not match up. Before Margaret and Regina could be arrested for murder, they left the Chicago area and began evading police.

After just under two years evading police, Margaret was captured in Rockford, Illinois on March 24, 2002. An anonymous tip after a showing of America's Most Wanted led to her capture at an apartment complex where she was staying with relatives. Margaret was arrested for and charged with the murder of Oscar Velazquez. She was also charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Seven months later on October 18, 2002, Regina was arrested in Dallas, Texas. The Chicago FBI reported that she was taken into custody after a traffic stop and high speed chase.

Regina DeFrancisco was found guilty of murder and armed robbery. She was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Margaret was sentenced to 46 years in prison.

References

Category:Criminals from Chicago
Category:American people convicted of murder
Category:2000 in the United States