Robert Chilcote

A Marinette County man accused of killing his girlfriend agreed Friday not to fight being brought back from Minnesota to face a first-degree intentional homicide charge.

Robert Alan Chilcote, 29, of Porterfield, Wis., appeared virtually in Wright County District Court in Minnesota to waive extradition, with Wright County Attorney Bryan Lutes prosecuting and Judge Catherine McPherson presiding.

A waiver of extradition allows a fugitive to return voluntarily, bypassing a formal court hearing. By signing the document, Chilcote gave up his right to contest the transfer, a step often taken to expedite the process, limit time in custody or signal cooperation with authorities.

Wisconsin authorities will now travel to Minnesota to bring Chilcote back to the state.

Chilcote was charged with first-degree intentional homicide on Feb. 15 after reportedly calling the Marinette Police Department from the Wright County Jail in Minnesota on Feb. 9 and admitting he shot his 24-year-old girlfriend, Gabriella “Gaby” Cartagena. Investigators said he claimed the shooting was accidental, occurring during an argument Feb. 4 in Marinette, Wis.

Marinette Police found Cartagena’s body the morning of Feb. 10 in a wooded area near Birch Creek Road in Menominee County, about 115 feet from the roadway, according to the criminal complaint.

The department had initially received a missing person report Feb. 5, after Cartagena’s mother said her daughter was last seen leaving home the previous evening with Chilcote.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators recovered video showing Chilcote leaving Red Arrow Park and heading toward the Birch Creek Boat Launch in Menominee County. Residential cameras also placed him in Menominee.

Nearly two and a half hours after Cartagena was reported missing, the department asked the Wright County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota for assistance after identifying Chilcote as a person of interest.

Authorities issued a statewide alert for his vehicle after determining he had fled to Minnesota.

Chilcote was arrested Feb. 5 by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office after a 16-minute chase that reached 100 mph. During the pursuit, Chilcote swerved toward a deputy deploying stop sticks, narrowly missing the officer before crashing into a snowbank. He was taken into custody without further incident. A search of Chilcote’s vehicle turned up several firearms, authorities said.

He was booked into the Wright County Jail, where he remains on a $100,000 bond, on charges of fleeing police in a motor vehicle, second degree assault and possession of a firearm without a permit.

A pretrial hearing in Minnesota is scheduled for May 1. According to the Wright County District Court, a public defender has been appointed, though the specific attorney is not yet determined.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.