Juan Vega-Montoya, 37, has been charged with concealment of a homicidal death in connection with the death of Megan Lewis, a 39-year-old woman who was found dead along a remote section of Hunt Club Road in Lake County on November 29.
Lewis' body, which was found south of Route 173 near Wadsworth, underwent an autopsy, revealing that she was 16 weeks pregnant and had been strangled. A multi-agency investigation led Lake County Sheriff's detectives to Vega-Montoya, the prime suspect who allegedly picked up Lewis on November 26 from Chicago and strangled her during an altercation, CBS Chicago reported.
The sheriff's office provided further details, stating that video surveillance helped them trace the victim's final moments. Vega-Montoya is believed to have kept Lewis' body in his vehicle for two days before disposing of it. He was seen picking up Lewis in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood of Chicago, specifically the area of Cicero Avenue and West Belden Avenue, according to a news release obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Lake County Sheriff's officials said the crime itself occurred in Chicago, prompting them to hand over all evidence to the Chicago Police Department, which is now seeking murder charges against Vega-Montoya. The accused made his first court appearance in Lake County on Wednesday, where prosecutors indicated their intention to seek his detention while he awaits trial, CBS Chicago noted.
