Illegal Immigrant Re-Arrested After Gruesome Murder Charges in Illinois

Immigration authorities in Chicago have re-arrested Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, a 52-year-old Mexican national living illegally in the U.S., after he was accused of decapitating 37-year-old Megan Bos and storing her body in a bleach-filled container on his property in Waukegan, Illinois.

Mendoza-Gonzalez was initially arrested in April and charged with concealing a corpse, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction of justice. Despite the gruesome nature of the crime, Lake County Judge Randie Bruno ordered his release shortly after his first court appearance, citing Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, which limits pretrial detention for certain offenses.

According to authorities, Bos was reported missing in March, though her family believes she disappeared in February. Her body was found two months later in a storage container in Mendoza-Gonzalez’s yard. He allegedly kept the body hidden during that time. ICE agents located and re-arrested him Saturday at a market in Chicago, and he is currently in federal custody.

The release sparked public outrage. Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner criticized the state’s criminal justice reforms for allowing a non-citizen accused of such a heinous act to be freed. State Rep. Tom Weber questioned how someone charged with hiding a body for nearly two months could be considered eligible for release under the law.

ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons emphasized that the agency will arrest any individual found in the U.S. illegally, especially those with serious criminal charges. He also condemned sanctuary policies, arguing they hinder cooperation and force ICE agents to make arrests in public settings, increasing risks to communities and law enforcement.