A Geneva man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after admitting he fatally stabbed his girlfriend and her 13-year-old son inside their home. Alejandro Cota, 52, pleaded guilty this week and agreed to a life sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Authorities said Cota pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and accepted a life term in exchange for the plea, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in a statement, "This defendant committed a brutal and senseless act of violence that took the lives of a mother and her young son." Prosecutors said the plea ensures Cota will remain in state prison for the rest of his life.
How police say it unfolded
Geneva police responded to a domestic-violence 911 call at about 8 p.m. on Dec. 26 and found two people suffering from multiple stab wounds inside a home in the 2700 block of Emma’s Way, according to a news release from the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. Officers forced their way in after no one answered the front door and discovered both victims unresponsive. Cota was taken into custody at the scene. The incident was isolated to the residence, the release said.
Injuries and medical response
Prosecutors said the boy suffered 37 stab wounds, including injuries that penetrated his skull and one that severed his spinal cord. Medics treated the woman at the scene before taking her to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The teenager was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center and later died of his injuries, according to the Daily Herald. Authorities said autopsies and toxicology testing were conducted by county medical examiners.
Charges and what comes next
Cota was initially charged with four counts of first-degree murder, a Class M felony, in the December 2024 killings, according to the Kane County release. Under the plea deal, he admitted to two counts and will be transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections to serve a life term. The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office publicly thanked several local agencies for their help in the investigation and said the charges and plea reflect the evidence developed by the Major Crimes Task Force and the coroner’s offices.
Community response
In the weeks after the killings, a GoFundMe page was created to support the family, and local reporting said the fundraiser brought in about $16,000, according to WXRT/Audacy. Authorities urged anyone with information to contact the Geneva Police Department as the county moves to finalize the case.
