BATAVIA, IL – A quiet morning in Batavia was shattered Tuesday when a woman was found dead inside her apartment, and police charged her husband with first-degree murder after what officials describe as a violent and bloody attack.

Authorities say Hector Luvianos-Barrera, 37, is being held without bond at the Kane County Jail, accused of killing his wife, Noemi Parada Narvaez, 43, in the couple’s Church Street residence. Police responded to a 911 call placed by Luvianos-Barrera himself around 4:30 a.m. and arrived to find him waiting outside. He was taken into custody without resistance.

Inside the apartment, first responders discovered Narvaez with severe injuries. Despite emergency efforts by paramedics, she died at the scene. Investigators later determined the attack involved both a knife and a hammer, with the victim suffering extensive wounds to her head, neck, chest, and back.

According to information presented in court during a hearing on Christmas Eve, prosecutors allege Luvianos-Barrera stabbed his wife between 20 and 30 times in the head and inflicted a similar number of stab wounds to her torso. Prosecutors also reported that Narvaez sustained severe blunt force injuries from being struck repeatedly with a hammer, resulting in a fractured skull and numerous lacerations.

Officials described the situation as domestic in nature. The Kane County Coroner’s Office formally identified the victim as Parada Narvaez later that day.

During the court hearing, prosecutors detailed the events leading up to the killing, saying the couple had been drinking together while watching television before the situation unexpectedly escalated. Luvianos-Barrera reportedly told authorities that an argument broke out after his wife accused him of infidelity and began throwing objects at him. He claimed the conflict continued until he disarmed her of a knife during a physical struggle.

In his statement to police, Luvianos-Barrera allegedly said he tried to hug his wife in an effort to calm the argument, but realized she was hiding a knife. He told officers he managed to grab the weapon and push her down. Despite claiming he acted in self-defense, prosecutors asserted that the violence far exceeded what could be considered a reasonable response to any threat.

During proceedings, Luvianos-Barrera is quoted as admitting, “I defended myself and exceeded myself and killed her,” according to statements shared in court.

Police found Narvaez lying facedown on the floor of the apartment with a blanket partially covering her body, officials said.

The defendant is scheduled for a court appearance on January 2. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence in the case.