• Suspect escaped abroad before being arrested
• Investigation lasted over 20 years before linking evidence to killer

Authorities in South America arrested a man accused of committing a 2004 murder in a Chicago apartment, following an investigation that spanned more than two decades

Police identified the victim as 40-year-old Kent Projansky, who was shot inside his Near North apartment on December 18, 2004. Crucial evidence, including two shell casings, was collected at the scene

Detectives continued their investigation but were unable to identify a suspect at the time, leaving the case cold for nearly a decade

In 2017, retired detective James Browne reexamined the evidence using updated forensic technology at the Illinois State Police Crime Lab, leading to the identification of 68-year-old David Barklow, who had lived across the street from the apartment at the time of the murder

Barklow was arrested by U.S. Marshals on October 16, 2019, but initially released while authorities confirmed the forensic link between him and the old evidence

Subsequent testing confirmed a connection to the gun and clothing found in a duffel bag, and blood inside the bag matched Projansky

Barklow fled the country in December 2019. Police later discovered in 2022 that he had moved to Ecuador

In 2025, authorities learned Barklow had relocated to Peru, where arrangements were made for his capture and extradition to Chicago

He arrived in Chicago on November 14, 2025, and was charged with first-degree murder

Chicago police emphasized that the case highlights the persistent work of homicide detectives, who pursued the suspect relentlessly to achieve justice and provide some closure to the victim’s family after more than 20 years of grief