Okay, this article contains a LOT of information never previously known. Police have evidently had an idea that Petrey was a suspect within days of the crime and they have been working with one of his relatives this entire time to get enough incriminating info to get a warrant for his DNA:
The article says that the victim was walking with her mother and a friend but stayed behind to tie her shoes. Then the following text message exchange took place:
- 3:47 p.m. from her mother: “where are you?”
- 3:48 p.m. from Vanessa: “I went back because its too long of a walk.”
- 3:51 p.m. from Vanessa: “Where are you guys at?”
- 3:53 p.m. from her mother: “We are on our way back.”
- 4 p.m. from Vanessa’s phone: “Ha verdad” (blue iMessage went to green after 3:53 p.m.)
- 4:21 p.m. from her mother: “Where are you”
- 5:34 p.m. from her mother: “The police are looking for you”
Ceja-Ramirez’s mother was confused by the “ha verdad” response, which loosely translates to “for real,” and tried calling the phone several times.
Her mother then used the “Find my iPhone” to track her phone and saw it was at a school just west of 151st and Central. Previous articles stated this was the Jack Hille Middle School. The phone then appeared at the Manchester Apartments. Police searched there and the phone was not located, but police allege Dakota Petrey was looking out the window at officers at the time.
The article states that it was a full two days after she went missing when her body was found deep in the woods of the forest preserve in an area known locally as "The Pits" - bound, sexually assaulted, strangled, and partially burned. Her coat and shoes were missing from the scene.
Nearly a week later, a tip came into the police hotline by a relative of Dakota Petrey. The tip alleged that it was something Petrey “would do” and that the relative had been asked to help move Petrey’s car at around the time of the murder, which was blocks away from the scene. The relative also told police that Petrey was served an eviction notice about ten days after the crime and he had moved to Tennessee.
The relative kept working with police and told officers that Petrey used to live in the forest preserve. Later on, police eventually located the victim's shoes near the general location where her body had been recovered a month prior.
Police in Tennessee conducted surveillance on Petrey in April 2021 and collected a can he was drinking from while at work. It was from this collection of DNA that police were able to compared his profile to DNA left at the scene of the sexual assault and murder. Police say Petrey's DNA was found on Ceja-Ramirez’s shoes. In September 2021 investigators got a warrant to obtain a buccal DNA swab from Petrey and this sample matched other DNA on the victim's shoes and body.
Thank goodness for his relative who was willing to do the right thing!
cookcountysheriffil.gov
abc7chicago.com
www.chicagotribune.com
