Dupage Policy Journal

DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury have announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the state's motion to deny pre-trial release for Xavier Arevalo, a 17-year-old from West Chicago. Arevalo is charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted armed robbery with a firearm.

The charges stem from an incident on November 9, 2024, when police responded to a disturbance call in the 700 block of W. Forest Avenue. Officers found Alejandro Rios and Antonio Delgado deceased in a green Honda Civic, both having suffered gunshot wounds to their faces and chests. The investigation revealed that Arevalo and Ivan Ramirez, 18, allegedly arranged to meet the victims to purchase THC cartridges worth over a thousand dollars. It is alleged that during this meeting, Arevalo shot both victims after Ramirez declared it was a robbery.

Following the incident, officers took Arevalo into custody at a local hospital where Ramirez was being treated for a gunshot wound. Ramirez faces similar charges as Arevalo.

Berlin stated: “The violent shooting death of two men, allegedly at the hands of a seventeen-year-old, will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” He extended condolences to the victims' families and thanked law enforcement agencies involved in the case.

Fleury remarked: “The tragic murders of these two men are a senseless loss of life that did not have to happen,” emphasizing that violent crime affects entire communities.

Arevalo's arraignment is scheduled for December 9, 2024. The public is reminded that these charges are not proof of guilt; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.