Man sought reconciliation before shooting
Photo 
Antonio Torres
PELL LAKE — Hours before he was fatally shot by Walworth County sheriff’s deputies, Antonio J. Torres begged the mother of his 1-year-old daughter to take him back.
The ex-girlfriend had kicked him out of their Kenosha home a month earlier because of his abusive behavior. Torres often cried to her. He desperately wanted to reconcile.
“She was through with him,” the ex-girlfriend’s mother, Pat Gray, said in a phone interview from Kenosha. “I think the shock was the realization that she meant it.”
But the woman, a 32-year-old Kenosha daycare provider, allowed Torres to spend time with their daughter, Liliana J. Torres, because he was a good father, Kenosha Police Sgt. Hugh Rafferty.
Antonio Torres, a 41-year-old Pleasant Prairie factory worker, had the girl with him for the weekend for a scheduled visitation before dropping her off Monday morning.
Gray said Torres demanded: “You take me back. You take me back.”
When she told Torres it was over, he snapped.
Torres punched the woman in the chest. She fell down and blacked out, Gray said.
Torres abducted their daughter and fled west toward Walworth County. He had a shotgun with him, according to Kenosha police.
Torres called Kenosha police at 11 a.m. and told a dispatcher that he had beaten a woman, Rafferty said. He later called the woman’s house and talked to police. He told the officer he would shoot himself and his daughter if he saw police again, Rafferty said.
An Amber Alert was sent out in southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
An off-duty Walworth County sheriff’s deputy spotted Torres four hours later on Highway 50 near Lake Geneva.
After a 20-minute high-speed chase, Torres pulled over along County H near Pell Lake. While sitting in the driver’s seat, Torres grabbed his daughter, placed her on the centerline of the road and pointed his shotgun at her, Graves said.
Two deputies shot and killed him.
Torres died of head trauma from a gunshot wound, Walworth County Coroner John Griebel said.
The girl was uninjured and reunited with her mother.
The names of the deputies who shot Torres were not released because the incident remains under investigation, Graves said.
The state Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating.
Torres had kidnapped his wife and children 10 years ago, Rafferty said. He spent five years in prison after that incident.
He still is married to the woman, but she has been hiding in Mississippi, Rafferty said.
Jul 4, 2008 at 7:57 a.m.
Suggest removal
you know when something bad happens eveything is dug up about that person. you all assume she knew about his past. do you know these ppl? no so how do you know ? no i dont agree controling and beating and jealousy is love.
and you have no idea what went on in the home....he WAS A GREAT dad up until his last day. he snapped!!!
Jul 3, 2008 at 2:19 p.m.
Suggest removal
Graves is the Walworth County Sheriff.
Jul 3, 2008 at 11:35 a.m.
Suggest removal
Butterfly?
The fact that he terrorized the mothers of all his children is completely relevant in his capacity as a father.
What happened to 'The best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother?"
Or do you perceive jealousy, beatings, and control as love?
He was not a good father because he subjected his daughter to violence and a broken home, as he did his other children.
Jul 3, 2008 at 10:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
Who is Graves? I don't see a first name or title for him/her.
Jul 3, 2008 at 10:10 a.m.
Suggest removal
hmmm does everyone just assume this mother knew his past? and to show you they report just about anything ...they have it wrong about her being inthe middle of the street ,,,that didnt happen she was in the truck when he was shot!!! so dont assume eveything you hear or see in the papers are correct!!! yes he was a great father ...just because what happened on monday doesnt erase the last 2 years of him being a great father...ppl snap!!
Jul 2, 2008 at 7:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
Purrmaid......I agree with your statement 100%,except the part about how can men do this. Let's not be sexist. Women can and do fill this bill quite often. Perhaps the facts change a little but women are more than capable of placing their children in harms way.
Jul 2, 2008 at 7:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
Not to be mean, but like I said, this man had obvious RED FLAGS in the beginning of this relationship. Woman, please stay away from these evil men. All they want to do is control you, and when you become uncontrollable, you are as good as screwed. Thank god the right person got knocked off here. Oh....I am sorry, this stuff just makes me so mad. Domestic violence sucks. I've lived it as a little girl, and no child deserves to be put in a situation like that ever. Thank god this little girl is ok. I just hope that her mother NEVER goes for a "jerk" again. For both their sakes.
Jul 2, 2008 at 7:33 p.m.
Suggest removal
it is a downfall of our society's! we have a grave tendency to enable the perpetrators without thinking to protect ourselves.
Jul 2, 2008 at 6:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
Janesvillean - "...family annihilator"
Talk about send a chill down my spine! So sad that it happens often enough to warrant a psychological term. :(
Jul 2, 2008 at 4:36 p.m.
Suggest removal
jck--I agree with you. "Good father"???...makes my abusive ex sound like a saint
Jul 2, 2008 at 3:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
Nobody has yet to blame this on society yet. I'm surprised.
Jul 2, 2008 at 1:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
evansvillehousewife, that was actually a separate family of his. The current woman was an ex-girlfriend.
.
You are very correct that leaving is the most perilous time.
.
Purrmaid, the psychological profile of this time of person is now called a "family annihilator". It's basically someone who wants to commit suicide and take everyone else in the family with him. I think you could say that someone at that point has ceased to value life at all.
Jul 2, 2008 at 11:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
I am relieved that the police department took action when prompted to do so by Mr. Torres. Doesn't everyone remember that tradegy in Delavan? This situation could easily have gotten out of control.
My heart goes out to this woman and her child.
I pray they find peace in this tragic time.
Jul 2, 2008 at 11:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
Um... wait... her kidnapped his wife and children ten years ago, spent five years in prison for that, and is still married to her?
I wonder where the mom thought that having a baby with a record like this was a good idea. I wouldn't let his guy on my property let alone into my uterus.
Jul 2, 2008 at 11:11 a.m.
Suggest removal
Time and time again, the facts become reaffirmed...
The greatest time of danger in a domestic violence situation is when the abused leaves or tries to leave the offender.
I'm just glad the baby was not harmed in this tragedy.
Jul 2, 2008 at 10:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
"...placed her on the centerline of the road and pointed his shotgun at her."
No matter how many times it happens, it shocks me how some men can take selfishness to the point where their children are expendable pawns.
Thank goodness he is finally gone for good and those he terrorized can get their lives moving in a positive direction without fear of him and his horrid abuse causing worry and harm.
Jul 2, 2008 at 10 a.m.
Suggest removal
He was a good father who just coincidentally kidnapped one wife and child terrorizing them to the point they hide from him, beat the hell out of this child's mother until she would have nothing to do with him, then beat her again, then took the child on a high speed chase, placing her in the middle of what had the potential of becoming a gun fight after threatening to kill her.
*
Of course he did call 911 twice.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.