Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, a 52-year-old Mexican illegal immigrant from Waukegan, Illinois, in Chicago following his release from custody. Mendoza-Gonzalez, who was charged with concealing the decapitated body of missing woman Megan Bos, was arrested again by ICE after being released from jail in April.
The incident has sparked intense public and political scrutiny. Mendoza-Gonzalez was initially arrested in April and charged with concealing a corpse, abusing a corpse, and obstruction of justice, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Immediately after his first court appearance, Lake County Judge Randie Bruno released Mendoza-Gonzalez from custody, prompting outrage from local officials and the public.
Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner criticized the decision to release Mendoza-Gonzalez, stating the system failed in protecting citizens. ‘I was shocked to find out literally the next day that the person that they had arrested for this had been released from prison under the SAFE-T Act less than 48 hours,’ Gartner said, adding that the suspect could have fled the country due to his lack of U.S. citizenship.
Republican state Rep. Tom Weber also expressed concern about the release of Mendoza-Gonzalez, questioning whether the crime was considered non-detainable. ‘Someone that hid their body in a garbage can for 51 days after leaving it in the basement for two days, after not calling 911 [and] breaking a phone. Is this a non-detainable offense?’ Weber said. ‘Should we not find out, wait for a toxicology report, anything?’ He voiced his concerns over the decision to release the suspect without full investigation.
DHS officials described the crime as ‘heinous’ and emphasized that justice would be served for Megan Bos and her family. ‘It is absolutely repulsive this monster walked free on Illinois’ streets after allegedly committing such a heinous crime,’ a DHS spokesperson told Fox News. The case has become a focal point for discussions on immigration policy, law enforcement, and the effectiveness of current legal procedures in handling serious crimes involving illegal immigrants.
The police in Waukegan, Illinois, had discovered Bos’ body in a storage container filled with bleach in her yard in April. She disappeared in February, and the authorities believe that Mendoza-Gonzalez kept her body in his yard for nearly two months before allegedly decapitating and storing her in a bleach-filled container. The case has raised questions about the adequacy of existing legal measures and the potential risks associated with the release of suspected criminals, especially those without U.S. citizenship.