The Engelhardt family in an undated photo. In the front are
Amanda and Jeff. Standing behind are Alan, Laura and Shelly.
D'Andre D. Howard
Sad story. Don't really know what to say.
Posted on 04/20/2009 6:08:28 AM PDT by Drew68
Amid unimaginable grief and numbing disbelief, the remaining members of a Hoffman Estates family struggled Sunday with details of three funerals without knowing when they'll be held.
The bodies of Alan Engelhardt, 57, his 18-year-old daughter, Laura, and her grandmother Marlene Gacek, 73, remained with authorities Sunday nearly three days after their murders at the family home.
"We can't really nail anything down because the (Cook County) medical examiner's office can't release the remains," said Rev. Bill Cate, associate pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Schaumburg. No detail will be overlooked in this high-profile case, he explained.
Fifty-two-year-old Shelly Engelhardt - Alan's wife and the mother of Laura, Jeff and Amanda - remained in critical condition Sunday evening in the intensive care unit at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. But there was a hint of promise.
"They're talking about possibly moving her out of ICU," Cate said. "It was touch and go for awhile the first day. It could have been four homicides instead of three."
For the moment, that leaves Jeff Engelhardt, a junior at Southern Illinois University, to deal with the aftermath. He had been told of his father and grandmother's deaths but thought Laura was still fighting for life as he sped back home. She died while he was en route.
"He's being very, very mature," Cate said after meeting with Jeff and three other relatives Sunday afternoon. "He's being asked to make decisions no 20-year-old should have to make."
D'Andre D. Howard, a 20-year-old ward of the state with a history of mental illness and criminal arrests, is charged with the murders. Howard had been dating Amanda Engelhardt, 23, for three years, according to authorities, and they had a child together.
Amanda has been staying with relatives elsewhere, according to Cate, and did not attend the meeting Sunday.
"She's acknowledged my contact but that's it," he said.
Howard has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated unlawful restraint.
The tragedy at the Engelhardt home stemmed from a quarrel between Amanda Engelhardt and Howard late Thursday over accusations of infidelity - an argument that began at their apartment on the 900 block of Evanston Street in Hoffman Estates, police said.
Howard ordered Engelhardt out and she left with their 8-month-old baby daughter to her parents' home on the 1000 block of Bluebonnet Lane.
Prosecutors allege Howard followed Amanda and the argument continued at 1:30 a.m., waking up Shelly and Laura, who rushed down to the first floor to help.
"The defendant became increasingly angry," Cook County prosecutor Maria McCarthy said Saturday. "He grabbed a butcher knife and waved it in his girlfriend's face."
Howard pushed Shelly Engelhardt with the knife also, then used yarn to tie up the women and stuffed a sock in Laura's mouth. He was interrupted by Shelly's sister, who is disabled, and he ordered her to sit on the couch, McCarthy said.
At some point, Howard started to untie Laura, who seized the butcher knife and cut him on the arm. He wrestled the weapon away and slashed at her and Shelly.
The commotion drew Marilyn Gacek down to the kitchen where Howard killed her, McCarthy said.
The next victim was Alan Engelhardt, who confronted Howard in the kitchen. Howard slit Alan Engelhardt's throat, but before he died he managed to stagger into the family room where his teenage daughter and wife lay wounded.
The last family member to come on the scene was Alan's mother, who is 85. "She saw her son lying lifeless," McCarthy said.
Amanda, her daughter, her paternal grandmother and aunt did not sustain any physical injuries.
Howard was not present at the bond hearing Saturday because the injury caused by Laura needed medical attention. He was returned to Cook County Jail later that day and was being held there Sunday evening without bond, pending a hearing at 9 a.m. Monday in Cook County branch court in Rolling Meadows.
Cate said the funerals of Alan and Laura Engelhardt would be held at the his church but that Gacek's service would be at St. Hubert, a Catholic Church in Hoffman Estates.
He hasn't written the funeral sermon yet but knows it will deal with the resurrection of Christ and the chance to see all the loved ones who went before face to face. That general message is universal. Putting the personal reflections of those who are gone, particularly Laura, will be another matter, he said.
When he spoke with the Daily Herald Sunday evening, Cate, a former military law enforcement officer turned minister five years ago, said it was the first conversation he has had where he didn't choke up when talking about Laura.
"This is going to be hard," Cate said.
Laura was in his first class at St. Peter school and many of those classmates keep in touch. She was active in New Creation, a choir of high school-aged kids who perform at the church once a month or so.
A number of classmates met for a meal Saturday night and returned to the church at 9:30 p.m. They stayed two hours, Cate said, celebrating Laura.
"She was just one of those memorable kids," he recalled. "Somewhat mischievous. Laura knew how to have fun. Very social. She was one of those kids you couldn't get mad at."
Counselors at Conant High School, where Laura attended, are expected Monday to be in every class she had, to help fellow students deal with the empty chair.
D'Andre D. Howard
Sad story. Don't really know what to say.
amanda really knew how to pick a winner, didn’t she?
The abysmal judgment of Amanda, the daughter, in having an out-of-wedlock child with a criminal with mental problems, caused the death of three members of the family. When one brings trash into the family circle, it often has terrible consequences.
Really sad story...and not to mean disrespect, but this is why the total ban of guns in Cook county did nothing to disarm a loon...he killed 3 people with a knife? But you won’tsee a call for banning all knives by the MSM of the Brady bunch...sad sad....
Happens evey time some just refuse the truth.
Unfortunately, we live in a culture where thugs are glorified and celebrated as glamorous, stylish, hip, masculine and everything else that's cool. Sadly, too many buy this completely false image.
D'Andre D. Howard, a 20-year-old ward of the state with a history of mental illness and criminal arrests, is charged with the murders. Howard had been dating Amanda Engelhardt, 23, for three years, according to authorities, and they had a child together... stemmed from a quarrel between Amanda Engelhardt and Howard late Thursday over accusations of infidelity - an argument that began at their apartment on the 900 block of Evanston Street in Hoffman Estates, police said.
Ok, I’ve said this before and always get the ‘you’re a racist’ remarks, but I find it uncanny and strange how many drab, overweight white girls end up dating and having illegitimate kids with black guys. Hey, it’s fine by me, but dating him for 3 years and an out-of-wedlock kid, and the parents didn’t see anything wrong with a mental case ward of the state knocking up and living with their daughter??? Weird.
Family with a liberal world view; easily predictable results.
Agree with your point of view 100%.
Their daughter was 23 yrs. old. After the age of 18, there is very little parents can do legally.
I bet you won’t see this one on “Law and Order.”
“...amanda really knew how to pick a winner, didn’t she?”
I’d be willing to bet that drugs and maybe hip-hop music were involved. Not sure which is worse.
Shame on all of you
God bless Shelly, Jeff and Amanda I hope this doesn't keep their hearts from shining as they have in the past
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