Death of mother-of-two and pre-K teacher found with her estranged husband ruled murder-suicide

The off-duty Illinois State Police trooper and his wife who were found shot dead inside a parked car on Chicago’s South Side Monday have been confirmed as a murder-suicide.  

The family of Amanda Alvarez-Calo, 31, said that she was on the verge of leaving her husband, 30-year-old Antonio Alvarez, at the time of her death. 

Chicago police said that at around 1.40pm on Monday, a witness came across a car in the 11000 block of South Avenue E and discovered inside the bodies of Trooper Alvarez and Alvarez-Calo.

The couple were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds to the head,  state police said. The car they were in was non-department issued. 

Alvarez-Calo’s death has since been ruled a homicide, while Alvarez’s gunshot wound has been deemed to be self-inflicted, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.  

Amanda Alvarez leaves behind two young children, a 4-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter

Amanda Alvarez, 31, a Chicago schoolteacher, was found shot dead alongside her husband, Illinois State Trooper Antonio Alvarez, 30, on Monday 

Alvarez, seen in this photo with her brother Johnny Calo

A tarp covers the car Alvarez-Calo and her estranged husband, State Trooper Antonio Alvarez, were found in

A witness found the couple’s bodies inside a vehicle parked in the 11000 block of South Avenue E in Chicago

The Alvarezes were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds to the head and a gun was recovered 

Amanda on her wedding day to Antonio with brothers Tommy and Johnny

A gun was recovered at the scene, Chicago police said.

Antonio Alvarez was a three-year veteran of the Illinois State Police, the agency said. 

Amanda Alvarez was a schoolteacher at Matthew Gallistel Learning Academy. Her family told ABC7 that she and her husband were having martial problems and were separated. 

Before her death, Amanda was said to have told relatives that she planned to leave Antonio. 

A local Alderman, Susan Sadlowski-Garza, was Alvarez-Calo’s godmother and said that her two children had been close friends with Alvarez-Calo dating back to the third grade. 

‘She was the most amazing young woman,’ Sadlowski-Garza, said. ‘Her laugh was infectious.’ 

‘She helped mentor kids on the wrong path,’ Sadlowski-Garza added, noting that Alvarez-Calo was active in her community and worked in after-school programs, community gardens and the violence prevention group Safe Kids Chicago. ‘Everyone loved Amanda.’   

Amanda’s family members said the couple were having marital problems and she had planned to leave her husband

Amanda Alvarez-Calo’s two children, 1-year-old Myla (left) and 4-year-old Eli. A GoFundMe has been started to help the family

Amanda with her twin brothers Johnny and Tommy and mother Sonia

Matthew Gallistel Learning Academy Principal Kimberly Nelson released a statement after her death.

‘Our thoughts are with Ms. Alvarez’s family during this difficult time,’ Nelson said. ‘We are so saddened by this loss and will do everything we can to help you and your child during this extremely difficult time.’      

DailyMail.com has reached out to one of Amanda’s brothers for comment and was awaiting a reply.  

Meanwhile, Chicago police have not said they were looking for any suspects in connection with the killings. 

Friends revealed that Alvarez-Calo and Alvarez leave behind two young children, a 4-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter. 

A GoFundMe page created for Alvarez-Calo on Tuesday afternoon had raised over $82,000 as of Wednesday evening.