“Please Don’t Shoot Me” Call Chills Wisconsin

(LibertySociety.com) – A chilling phone call—“Please don’t shoot me. I’m sorry.”—has now collided with official silence after Wisconsin police said a missing 24-year-old woman was “located,” while her family publicly mourns her death.

Quick Take

Gabriella Alexis Cartagena, 24, disappeared Feb. 4 near Red Arrow Park in Marinette, Wisconsin, and was classified by police as “involuntarily missing.”
Family members reported receiving a call from the park in which Cartagena could be heard pleading, “Please don’t shoot me. I’m sorry.”
Police announced Feb. 11 that Cartagena had been located, but did not release her condition; a GoFundMe created by her brother said she had died.
Robert Chilcote, 29, identified as the last person to see her, was arrested after a high-speed pursuit; deputies found an AR-15-style rifle with a magazine in his vehicle.

What authorities have confirmed—and what they are not saying

Marinette police announced on Feb. 11 that Gabriella Cartagena had been located and is no longer considered missing. Authorities did not disclose where she was found, the condition she was found in, or what led investigators to her. That lack of detail is driving public uncertainty because the family’s public messaging points in one direction while officials have kept information tightly held pending investigative steps.

In active investigations, law enforcement often limits public details to protect evidence, witnesses, and charging decisions. In this case, though, the silence creates an information vacuum that gets filled by rumor and social media speculation—exactly the kind of environment that can undermine public trust. Officials have indicated more information is expected as the investigation continues, with a sheriff’s office news conference scheduled for Feb. 13.

A timeline shaped by a distress call and a violent pursuit

Cartagena disappeared around 5 p.m. on Feb. 4 near Red Arrow Park. Police described her as “involuntarily missing,” a designation that signals investigators do not believe she left of her own free will. Family members reported receiving a phone call from the park area in which she could be heard saying, “Please don’t shoot me. I’m sorry,” a detail that suggests immediate danger at the time she vanished.

On Feb. 5, investigators say Robert Chilcote, 29, was the last person known to have seen Cartagena. Chilcote was arrested after a 16-minute chase that reportedly exceeded 100 miles per hour and involved about ten deputies. Authorities said an AR-15-style rifle with an inserted magazine was found in his vehicle. Court-related reporting also indicates Chilcote faced fleeing charges and fugitive-from-justice issues tied to an extradition request.

Family claims she died, while officials decline to confirm

After the Feb. 11 police announcement that Cartagena had been located, a GoFundMe memorial page attributed to her older brother, Alpachino Cartagena, stated that she had “recently passed away” and that the death was “completely unexpected.” When asked about that memorial posting, a local police chief reportedly had no comment. As of the latest reporting provided, officials have not publicly confirmed whether Cartagena is alive or deceased.

This gap between official statements and family statements is the central unresolved fact of the case. From a basic transparency standpoint, communities expect clarity when a missing-person case ends—especially one that involved a reported distress call and a major search. At the same time, investigators sometimes delay confirmation until next-of-kin notifications, forensic verification, and charging decisions are secured. Until officials speak, the public is left weighing two different narratives.

Why this case matters beyond one tragic headline

The immediate impact is personal and local: a family describing an unexpected loss, and a community in Marinette rattled by the idea that a public place like a park could be tied to a violent encounter. The legal process is also just beginning. Chilcote remains in custody, and court scheduling reported to date suggests more hearings ahead. Whether prosecutors ultimately connect the suspect’s known charges directly to Cartagena’s fate has not been fully detailed publicly.

For Americans who care about limited government and accountable institutions, the key issue to watch is not partisan spin but verifiable facts: what evidence led police to classify Cartagena as involuntarily missing, where she was located, and how investigators will reconcile public safety concerns with the need to protect a case. The Feb. 13 press conference is expected to be the next major checkpoint for official answers, after a week of fear and unanswered questions.