A recent court decision in DuPage County has resulted in the denial of pre-trial release for Ivan Ramirez, 18, following charges of double homicide and attempted armed robbery. Ramirez, along with his codefendant Xavier Arevalo, 17, is accused in connection with the deaths of two individuals in an incident that occurred on November 9, 2024. This development was announced by DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury, as reported yesterday.
According to the incident report, West Chicago police officers responded to a call around 6:14 p.m. at the 700 block of W. Forest Avenue, finding a green Honda Civic with two armed men deceased from gunshot wounds. After the investigation, Ramirez and Arevalo were alleged to have arranged a meeting with the victims, Alejandro Rios and Antonio Delgado, under the pretense of buying THC cartridges worth over a thousand dollars. Upon arrival, it is claimed that the confrontation escalated rapidly into a robbery, followed by Ramirez and Arevalo allegedly firing at Rios and Delgado, leading to their deaths.
Being found later at a local hospital with a gunshot wound, Ramirez was eventually released and taken into custody. Arevalo, on the other hand, was apprehended without incident. "Thanks to the outstanding work of the West Chicago Police Department, both defendants allegedly responsible for the murder of Alejandro Rios and Antonio Delgado are now in custody where they will remain until trial," stated State’s Attorney Bob Berlin in a statement obtained by the DuPage County News.
Despite the isolated nature of the event, the impact of such violence resonates. "Violent crime affects us all and no community should be subjected to the type of violence alleged in this case," Chief Fleury commented. Scheduled next court dates are impending, with Ramirez on December 16, 2024, and Arevalo on December 9 in front of Judge Brian Telander.
