Gary Police are searching for a 30-year-old man wanted for a woman’s deadly Aug. 19 beating at a Calumet Township trailer park.
Orlando Burgos, of Gary, is a person of interest in the death of Sheri Richardson, 54, of the 5900 block of 36th Ave., Gary Police Commander Jack Hamady said.
Police believe Burgos is somewhere in Illinois or Indiana. He has not yet been charged, according to Lake Superior court records. Burgos and Richardson knew each other and an argument led to her fatal injuries, he said.
Richardson told police she was standing at her Colfax Mobile Home Park waiting for a ride when they got into an argument, Burgos punched her then left. He returned with a handgun and pistol whipped her in the face, leaving when she threatened to call police, she said.
Later on, other residents saw her collapsed on the ground and she was transported to Methodist Hospital Southlake in Merrillville, police said.
Richardson died at 12:25 a.m. Aug. 24, according to the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
Police returned to the mobile home park on Aug. 23 for more information. The next day, they were led around 1:15 p.m. to a person of interest — Burgos, Hamady said.
At some point, Burgos fled to a mobile home, then ran out the back, police said. A woman told police her infant child was inside and might be a hostage. Police called in a SWAT team and K-9 unit.
The child was found unharmed inside around 2:30 p.m., police said.
Anyone with more information on Burgos’ whereabouts can call Sgt. James Nielsen at 219 881-1210.
