Officer Flores: I Was Samantha Harer's Protector:

CHANNAHON, IL - Hours after Channahon Police enlisted help from the Will County-Grundy County Major Crimes Task Force to probe the gunshot death of 23-year-old WESCOM dispatcher Samantha Harer, Joliet Police Detective Carlos Matlock and Will County Sheriff's Investigator R.J. Austin interviewed Crest Hill Police Officer Phil Flores about her death.

Flores was inside of Harer's small one-bedroom apartment in Channahon at the time of her death by a gunshot wound to her head. He called 911 shortly before 8:30 a.m. that Tuesday morning on Feb. 13, 2018, to report the incident to authorities.

At the time of the 911 call, Flores wanted to make it clear that he was not just anybody making a 911 call. He wanted the emergency dispatchers to know immediately that this was Crest Hill Officer Phil Flores, Badge No. 107, police reports show.

The Flores interview took place inside the Channahon Police Department. On Monday afternoon, the Channahon Police Department notified Joliet Patch that it was providing access to a number of police reports related to the now-closed death investigation into Harer's death. Channahon Police were told by Officer Flores that his girlfriend had shot herself, and the record shows, that the death was investigated that way, primarily because of his account what transpired.

Matlock's summary report of the interview states that "it should be noted that this interview with (name redacted by Channahon Police) was audio and video recorded. For full details of the interview with (name redacted by Channahon Police), please review the video."

In responding to the FOIA, Channahon Police chose to blackout Flores' name throughout the hundreds of pages of report even though it was obvious that Flores was the person giving a statement or being mentioned on numerous occasions throughout the investigation.

It's also worth noting that the interview was conducted by R.J. Austin, the lead Will County Sheriff's Investigator on the still-unsolved April 2017 homicide of Sema'j Crosby.

Austin was put in charge of the Sema'j case, but he has not made an arrests and the Will County Sheriff's Department has come under harsh criticism from people who have suggested that the agency botched the case at the very beginning.

At any rate, here's some of the key excerpts of Matlock's written summary of their interview of Crest Hill Officer Flores regarding the dead 911 dispatcher:

Flores "stated this incident with his girlfriend goes back prior to today. He stated that on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, Samantha called off work and then she stayed in bed all day through Monday. (Flores) stated he called Samantha several times after learning she was in the bed, telling her he was going to come over."

Flores told Austin and Matlock that he showed up at the Bridge Street apartments in Channahon on Monday, Feb. 12, between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m., the interview indicated. Flores told the detectives that Harer woke up and said something to him, however, what she told him was redacted from the written report provided by Channahon Police to Joliet Patch on Monday.

Flores "stated he gave Samantha her Valentine's Day gift due to this being the only day they were off together. Samantha then went back to bed," Matlock wrote.

Next, Flores responded and said "Samantha suffered" but the next few words in Matlock's report were redacted by Channahon Police. It resumes with "he was told by Samantha" but then the next dozen words or so were subsequently deleted from the report given to Patch.

The sentence picks up with Flores saying "it was unknown if she told her parents about this incident. (Flores) stated he received a text message from Samantha on Monday from Samantha saying (next word or words are redacted) this prior to him arriving at her residence. (Flores) stated that is when he called several times and her phone went to voicemail and it was very unusual because Samantha always answered his phone calls."

Now, the Feb. 13, interview with Matlock and Austin turned to the deadly events inside Harer's apartment, where Officer Flores was also present.

Flores "stated today when Samantha woke up she asked for her cell phone. He gave her her cell phone. She then laid back down. (Flores) stated Samantha had a very upset look on her face. He questioned Samantha in reference to doing something with him today. Samantha replied by telling (Flores) to 'leave me alone' and that she just wanted to be left alone. (Flores) stated this was between 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m."

Next, Flores told Austin and Matlock, the written summary shows, that he spoke with "Samantha about a scheduled tattoo appointment. He continued to try and get her to get up. Samantha replied by again stating, "f*** you. Just leave me alone."

At that point, Flores told the detectives he took on the role of counselor. He "stated he continued to try and console Samantha by encouraging her to get up, telling her he knew what she had been through." The next several words are redacted.

Then, the written summary resumes with Flores saying how Harer "continued to move away from him, telling him to leave and to 'Leave Now.' (Flores) stated he questioned Samantha as to whether she wanted him to leave the room, leave the house or leave her alone for good. Samantha continued to state leave her alone. (Flores) stated he began to get dressed, again questioning Samantha if she (was) going to be OK? She responded to just leave and to leave her alone."

Flores claimed he began to pack up his clothing and told Harer "he would be back later," Matlock wrote. Flores "stated Samantha looked out of the bedroom around the corner and told him, 'Just leave, leave now!' screaming at the top of her lungs."

Suddenly, Flores "stated he heard the bedroom door slam and then he heard Samantha rack a gun. She owned a gun. (Flores) then ran back to the door and the door was locked. Just as he was unlocking the door, he heard a shot fired. (Flores) stated when he got he door ope, he saw Samantha laying on the floor with a gunshot wound."

Flores told Matlock and Austin "Samantha normally kept the gun on the nightstand. (Flores) stated her gun was located on the nightstand when he placed her Valentine's Day gift on the nightstand for Samantha," the written summary notes.

The next question concerned Flores' romantic relationship Harer. Several words in the written summary of Matlock were redacted by Channahon Police. However, the summary did note that Flores explained how that in December 2017 "they were separated in December for approximately eight days and then began talking trying to work things out."

Of the words that were not deleted, Flores told the detectives that "after they got back together, she told him (next portion is redacted) ... she thought she was getting the help she needed."

Flores also told the two detectives that "on this morning, when Samantha awakened, she questioned him as to what day it was? He told her it was Tuesday. Samantha wanted to know what happened to Monday, stating she had taken (next several words redacted) ... however, the bottle she referred to had been opened but it was still full. (Flores) stated he questioned Samantha as to why she had taken so much (word redacted).... She stated she did not know."

Flores was asked how he and Harer became a couple. He noted that he had been a Crest Hill Police officer for seven years and he was in the U.S. Marines for 10 years, the reports show.

"He stated they had met through a mutual friend who works for the Wilmington Police Department," Matlock wrote.

The two detectives asked him again to recite the events that resulted in his girlfriend's untimely death. She was only 23.

Flores "repeated to detectives how the incident occurred today ... after he heard the shot, he began pushing the door to the bedroom open, he began calling 911, telling the dispatcher he is Crest Hill #108, being Crest Hill Police Officer badge #108. However, the phone call went to a Grundy County dispatcher.

Flores "stated he was next to Samantha kneeling over her. He lifted her head and observed blood pouring out of the side of the head. (Flores) stated he spoke with Samantha while kneeling over her while on the phone with the dispatcher. (Flores) stated he was questioned by the dispatcher as to whether or not he could do CPR. He stated he could not. (Flores) stated as he went to open the door for the police, he had three guns pointed at him; he then raised his hands and dropped his cell phone," Matlock wrote.

Some of the other police reports obtained by Joliet Patch show that Flores' clothing contained numerous stains of blood on them from Harer.

At the time of his interview on the day of her death, Matlock and Austin did question Flores about why he was reluctant to perform any life-saving measures on his girlfriend.

Flores "stated the only time he touched Samantha was after she shot herself and she was covered with blood. (Flores) was questioned as to why he did not perform CPR on Samantha. He stated he did not know and he could only state that he panicked ... He confirmed he did touch her, but not specifically where on her body."

And Matlock's interview also included the following written account from Flores, "he stated he is a man of pride and he is the protector. He did not want Samantha to see him hurt since is supposed to protect her."

Listen: 911 Call Made From Samantha Harer's Apartment

Sema'j Crosby Tragedy 1 Year Later: Ferak Column

Main image of Phil Flores and Samantha Harer provided to Patch with permission to use