CHICAGO — A Chicago woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend earlier this year was charged with first-degree murder on Tuesday, months after the incident and following new DNA evidence linking her to the crime.
Whitney Wilcox, 40, was taken into custody in connection with the February 26 stabbing death of her boyfriend, Jeremy Rodgers, 42. According to Chicago police, Wilcox initially denied responsibility for the stabbing when officers arrived at the couple’s home. However, new court filings reveal bizarre behavior during her initial arrest, including allegedly asking a Google device to play music and dancing while handcuffed.
Police responded to a 911 call placed by Wilcox at 2:20 a.m. on the morning of the incident. She reportedly told dispatchers that Rodgers had been stabbed but claimed she did not know who was responsible. When officers arrived at the residence, they found Wilcox appearing “distressed but otherwise clean and free from blood,” while Rodgers was bleeding from an abdominal wound in the bathroom. Rodgers allegedly told officers, paramedics, and hospital staff that Wilcox had stabbed him.
Court records indicate that Wilcox later admitted to the stabbing but claimed it was in self-defense during a fight. Rodgers ultimately succumbed to his injuries, and Wilcox was arrested at the scene.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office has not commented on the allegations of Wilcox’s behavior during her arrest, but prosecutors are pursuing the murder charge based on physical evidence and Rodgers’ statements before his death.
Wilcox remains in custody, with her next court appearance scheduled in the coming weeks.
