By T. C. Mayfield, The Chicago Times
February 3, 2023
WHEATON, IL – Man found guilty for his part in the 2018 murder of man in West Chicago, Illinois, has been sentenced to fifty years in jail.
According to prosecutors, Juan Calderon, 25, formerly of Aurora, was sentenced to fifty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the murder of Alexander Nicolas, 26, of West Chicago, in November of 2018. The sentencing follows a three-day double-jury trial held in September of last year against Calderon and his co-defendant Emilio Guillen, 32, formerly of Rockford.
On November 17, 2022, Guillen was sentenced to fifty years in jail for the murder. Both men were held in custody at the DuPage County Jail since the murder on bonds of $4 million.
According to West Chicago police, on November 9, 2018, around 7:34 am, officers responded to a 911 call of a man found lying on the ground in the 600 block of E. Forest Avenue. On scene, officers found Nicolas, lying face up with blood coming from the back of his head and was pronounced dead at the scene. During their investigation, West Chicago Police, with assistance from the Major Crimes Task Force, learned that at approximately 11:19 pm the previous night, Nicolas was near his vehicle on E. Forest Avenue when he was approached by Calderon and Guillen. The two men physically attacked and shot Nicolas in the head with Guillen allegedly ordering Calderon to shoot Nicolas. After the murder, the two men allegedly fled the scene in Guillen’s car. Further investigation led to Guillen and Calderon as the men responsible for the murder.
“In November 2018, Juan Calderon and Emilio Guillen viciously beat Alexander Nicolas before shooting him in the back of the head. These two men violently took the life of another man because they believed he belonged to a rival gang. At trial, two independent juries rightfully found both men guilty of murder.” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
Both Calderon and Guillen are required to serve 100% of their sentence before being eligible for parole.
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