Adoptee Charged with Killing Adoptive Mother

“After a months-long police investigation, a Morgan Park son appeared in court on Saturday, accused of killing his adopted mom back in March [2026]

Chicago police said Joseph Ruiz, 51, from Chicago, was arrested on Thursday, Nov. 5, and charged with felony counts of first-degree murder and murder with a strong probability of death or injury.

The family of Benilda Ruiz says she was a nurturing woman who gave to her community and attended church daily.

She was also the aunt of Jorge Bustos and Carolina Chavez.

“We’ve been on pins and needles because we just didn’t know what was going on,” Bustos said.

For months, he says they have been waiting for investigators to figure out what happened inside this Morgan Park home on Washtenaw back in March.

That’s where Joseph lived with his mom, Benilda.

“My aunt and uncle welcomed him into our family, and even though he was adopted, he was our cousin,” Bustos said.

Prosecutors say the last time family saw Benilda Ruiz alive was on March 8. They say neighbors spotted Joseph and his mom yelling in front of the home when he grabbed her arm, threw her in a car, and drove off.

According to prosecutors, Joseph came back half an hour later and started throwing bags of jewelry and women’s clothes on the front yard and sidewalk.

On March 12, they say Joseph called 911, saying his mom was on the ground and needed an ambulance. They noticed the clothes and jewelry outside, but were never allowed inside the home, so they left.

The next day, on March 13, they say Joseph called 911 again and told them Benilda died the night before and needed an ambulance. That’s when first responders found her covered in a blanket. She was pronounced dead.

They say she had bruising, marks from suffocation, and broken bones all along her body.

Attorneys say Joseph is the father of two 15-year-old twins. They say after this incident, he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where they say he was paranoid and delusional.

Bustos says he was not surprised at all when he was taken into custody.

“I always thought that he had something to do with it.”

Bustos says Benilda did not deserve this and is pleading for justice in hopes of putting this behind them.

“There is a sense of relief that he’s not going to be out on the streets or able to do anything to anyone else,” he said.

Attorneys say Joseph had a few domestic arrests in other states, not related to his mom.

He was ordered detained and will be back in court on Tuesday.”

Man charged with murder of 84-year-old adopted mother in Morgan Park

[CBS News Chicago 11/7/26 by Jeramie Bizzle and Marissa Sulek]

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