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A Chicago man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for running down a 20-year-old pregnant woman with his car after a fight, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Roberto Garcia, 20, pled guilty today in the 2010 murder of Ludjana Dido who was six months pregnant at the time of her death.

According to prosecutors, Garcia and Dido were with separate groups of friends hanging out at a park at  2700 W. Roscoe in the early morning hours of June 12, 2010 when the incident occurred. The two groups got into a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical altercation between two individuals.   When Garcia attempted to assist his friend, the victim threw a bottle that struck him in the head. The fight broke up shortly after.

As Garcia and his friends were driving away, Garcia turned the Buick Park Avenue he was driving towards the other group and accelerated. The group scattered as Garcia approached and he continued to pursue Dido, striking her with the front of the car causing her to fall and become lodged beneath the car.  Garcia then reversed, freeing the victim from car. He again ran over the victim’s body and drove off with it lodged under the car. The defendant then drove through a nearby construction site, freeing the victim’s body before fleeing.

The defendant then dropped off his friends and told them not tell anyone what had happened.

Police were able to identify Garcia through eyewitnesses and blood was recovered from his car. The defendant gave a videotaped confession to detectives and was charged with murder.

Today, Garcia pled guilty when he appeared before Judge James Linn and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He must serve 100% of his sentence.

State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Chicago Police and the Assistant State’s Attorney Christa Bowden for their hard work on the case.

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