Investigators say the 28-year-old was struck as his vehicle was taken during an overnight delivery.
CHICAGO — A Maywood woman has been charged with murder in the death of an Uber Eats delivery driver who was killed during an apparent carjacking near Loretto Hospital in Chicago’s Austin area, police said, as the victim’s family mourned a job that turned deadly.
The case centers on the early hours of Feb. 23, when authorities said Daniel L. Figueroa, 28, was attacked after delivering food near the hospital. Chicago police said Montoya Perry, 33, participated in taking Figueroa’s vehicle and faces counts of murder and vehicular hijacking. She was expected in court Feb. 25 for a detention hearing that could determine whether she is held while the investigation continues.
Figueroa, described by relatives as a devoted son who loved to fish, was working overnight when he arrived near Loretto Hospital to drop off an order for a physician, according to a police report and local reporting. The physician later told investigators that he noticed on a delivery app that the driver was still in the area. When the physician stepped outside the hospital, he saw Figueroa lying in the street, the report said.
Police have placed the attack in the 5500 block of West Flournoy Street, a short distance from the hospital, with officers later finding Figueroa unresponsive near Flournoy Street and Central Avenue. Accounts from neighbors suggested the driver may have been dragged during the theft, though police have not publicly confirmed every detail described by residents. Investigators have said the driver was struck as the vehicle fled, and that the vehicle involved was the one taken from him.
Security video and staff statements have been central to the early narrative of the case. Hospital staff members told police that Figueroa left after making the delivery and that video showed three people walking toward his vehicle while it was parked in a turnaround area near the hospital, according to a police report cited by the Chicago Sun-Times. The report said the video then showed Figueroa jumping onto the passenger-side door after he spotted someone attempting to steal the vehicle, and that he was dragged about half a block.
Figueroa was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead early Feb. 23, authorities said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office said the cause and manner of death were not immediately known and that further studies were pending after an autopsy did not immediately provide a final conclusion. Investigators have not publicly said whether they have recovered the vehicle, identified physical evidence from inside it, or determined exactly how the injuries were inflicted during the getaway.
Perry was arrested in Maywood around midday Feb. 23, and police announced the charges on Feb. 24. She was charged with one felony count of murder and one felony count of vehicular hijacking. Police have not publicly said whether they believe Perry acted alone, and officials have not released detailed allegations about her role beyond the statement that she participated in taking the vehicle.
The killing prompted statements from both the hospital and the company the driver worked for. Loretto Hospital said it was aware of the incident and is cooperating with law enforcement. The hospital’s spokesperson said the hospital’s prayers and condolences were with the victim’s family and loved ones. Uber confirmed Figueroa drove for the platform and said the company was saddened by the death, adding that it had contacted police and would help investigators.
Residents near the hospital described a neighborhood where overnight deliveries are routine for third-shift workers, but where people also worry about violence after dark. Alexander Redd, who lives nearby, said hospital workers often order food late and that the driver did not deserve what happened. Figueroa’s father, Carlos Figueroa, said his son was too young to die and that the family wants justice as the case moves through court.
Perry’s next court appearance was set for Feb. 25 at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, where a judge was expected to weigh prosecutors’ request for detention. Investigators have said the case remains open, and further court filings and medical examiner results are expected to clarify what happened in the moments between the delivery at the hospital and the discovery of Figueroa in the street.
Author note: Last updated February 25, 2026.