“She mattered,” said the colleagues of Katherine Torbick, 43, who was tortured and slain by her ex-boyfriend in Chicago, Illinois.
Kevin Motykie, 56, was arrested after cops found a harrowing recording on his device, capturing the final moments of Katherine’s life.
The nurse was heard begging for her 12-year-old son in the 7-hour-long recording.
Highlights
- Katherine Torbick, 43, was tortured and slain by her ex-boyfriend Kevin Motykie.
- The couple dated for 10 years and were living together before their breakup earlier this year.
- Cops found a 7-hour recording of Kevin attacking the victim and accusing her of cheating on him.
- “I gotta go hang myself,” he was heard telling her.
Katherine Torbick, 43, was tortured and slain by her ex-boyfriend Kevin Motykie in Chicago, Illinois
Image credits: thodonal/stock.adobe.com (Not the actual photo)
Trigger warning: this article contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.
Katherine Torbick and Kevin Motykie dated for 10 years and lived together before their breakup earlier this year.
In early April, the victim began seeing someone else, who called 911 and asked for a well-being check after not being able to reach her on April 30.
Image credits: Fox River MedSpa
Cops entered the Schaumburg house at around 11 p.m. and found Katherine’s body on the couch.
Multiple signs of trauma were visible on her body, and it was clear that she had been left there for a while.
A highly intoxicated Kevin was located in the garage and immediately taken into custody.
Kevin had trouble standing and slurred his speech during his arrest. He also admitted to cops that he took lorazepam and hydrocodone.
In his pocket, cops found a device containing a disturbing recording that lasted more than 7 hours, starting at 2 a.m. on April 30th and going on until about 9:24 a.m.
Cops found a 7-hour recording of Kevin attacking the victim and accusing her of cheating on him
Image credits: LinkedIn
The former couple was heard arguing in the recording before Katherine was heard screaming, asking him to get off her and not handcuff her.
The violent ex-boyfriend accused her of cheating on him and s*xually ass*ulted her while she denied the accusation and helplessly begged him to stop.
The attack escalated, with Kevin continuing to beat her up and using duct tape to restrain her.
“You can hear the sounds of ripping duct tape on the recording,” read an official document, as quoted by WGN News.
Kevin told her that he would end her life and refused to let her go, tightening his grip around her neck several times, prosecutors said.
Image credits: CBS Chicago
The recording captured Katherine begging for her 12-year-old son from another relationship.
Her attacker responded by saying he would be better off without her.
The last four minutes of the recording captured Kevin strangling her.
“I gotta go hang myself,” and “This will take 30 seconds, and think of somewhere happy,” Kevin said before repeating the word “happy.”
Katherine was heard gasping and struggling until her last breath.
“This will take 30 seconds, and think of somewhere happy,” Kevin was heard saying in the recording
Image credits: Village of Schaumburg, Illinois Government
During his arrest, cops also found handcuffs and a key in Kevin’s pocket.
A rope tied into a noose was found hanging from an overhead beam in the garage.
A medical examiner ruled the slain nurse’s passing a homicide and found fluid in her private parts.
Image credits: Skuza Katherine
Katherine worked as a gastroenterology nurse at a hospital in the area for over 20 years and was a registered nurse at a medical spa.
“In the short time she was with us, she became a part of our Sisterhood. She brought warmth, energy, and genuine care to our workplace. She loved being part of this team, and we loved having her here,” Fox River MedSpa in Algonquin said in a social media tribute.
They said Katherine had an impact on her clients and teammates that “will not be forgotten.”
“She mattered. She was valued. And she will always be part of our story,” they added.
During a previous incident, the arrested man beat Katherine up and ordered her to write a final note for her son within 20 minutes
Image credits: Village of Schaumburg, Illinois Government
Katherine was subjected to violence during a previous incident in March, when Kevin attacked her and accused her of cheating.
He allegedly pushed her onto a bed, climbed on top of her, choked her, and struck her face. He then put his fingers in her mouth and tried to gouge her eyes, prosecutors said.
All the while, her 12-year-old son was sleeping in the same house.
Image credits: Sasun Bughdaryan/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
During the attack, Kevin held his former partner at knifepoint and forced her into the garage, blocking her from escaping.
He ordered her to write a su*cide note for her son within 20 minutes, which she began writing.
At some point, Katherine tried to push past him and hide, but Kevin beat her up and threatened to end his own life along with hers.
Katherine eventually managed to escape and ran to the house of a neighbor, who called 911.
She told officials at the time that the violence was escalating, and she feared for her life.
Katherine managed to escape and run to a neighbor's house during the March incident
An arrest warrant was issued for Kevin on March 16, but authorities failed to locate him before Katherine tragically lost her life.
However, evidence recovered from Kevin's device indicated that he resumed living with her as early as March 22.
Kevin was also the subject of three separate orders of protection in previous years. He is currently facing charges for first-degree m*rder and aggravated s*xual ass*ult.
If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm or s**cidal ideation, help is available: International Hotlines
“The k*ller should received [sic] the same treatment as his girlfriend,” one netizen commented online
