PEKIN, Ill. – A former Creve Coeur police officer must remain in jail until trial on murder charges.
After a nearly three-hour long detention hearing on Thursday, a Tazewell County judge ruled 27-year-old Caitlynn Girkin to be detained on three counts of First Degree Murder in the shooting death of 29-year-old Adolfo Cazares.
The detention hearing was to take place last week, but was delayed as Girkin sought a private attorney to defend her. At Thursday’s hearing, Girkin confirmed she was taking the services of public defenders.
The next hearing for Girkin is an arraignment on August 6th.
The shooting occurred at a Creve Coeur home in March, with Girkin arrested earlier this month after an investigation by Illinois State Police.
Defense attorneys argued for Girkin to be released to the custody of an aunt in Kewanee, where Girkin is from. The aunt testified that Girkin had been staying with her in her home for about a month before the arrest.
The aunt testified that she had spoken to pre-trial services about what would need to be done if Girkin was under house arrest, and understood all of those and accepted the terms. But the aunt also testified that she and her husband worked early mornings and afternoons, which Judge Chris Doscotch questioned who would supervise Girkin while they were gone.
In addition, the aunt testified that three young children lived in the house, with Doscotch saying it would be a safety risk for the children to have someone charged with murder staying in the same home together.
Defense attorneys also argued that Girkin was not a threat to the community, citing her smaller size as a woman, and that Girkin was not in possession of any weapons. They also argued Girkin would not be able to travel far with only $500 in her bank accounts.
Prosecutors painted a picture of Girkin as a person with alcohol and substance abuse issues, an individual who could not keep her story straight, and lying to police on numerous occasions. They argued that Girkin could not keep her story straight in regards to the shooting death of Cazares, as well as a DUI arrest and property damage by a vehicle she owned in 2024.
They continued to argue that Girkin would abuse cocaine, which was found on her nightstand the night of the shooting, while claiming it was her roommate’s and not hers. Girkin was reportedly on probation while using drugs.
Prosecutors added Girkin was also not following the law while as a Creve Coeur police officer. Their evidence was Girkin’s driver license being suspended while driving squad cars, though defense attorneys argued it was the responsibility of Creve Coeur PD to get her a permit to drive.
Before his ruling, Doscotch stated that while Girkin’s risk factors were low and her criminal history was minimum, her history of being dishonest, alcohol and substance abuse, obstruction of criminal justice, and potential mental health issues were too much to overcome.
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