Officials: Two teens charged with murders during drug deal in West Chicago

Two teenagers are accused of murdering two people during a drug deal Saturday night at an apartment complex in West Chicago, authorities said.

Xavier Arevalo, 17, of the 400 block of Kenwood in West Chicago, and Ivan Ramirez, 18, of the 800 block of Parkside Avenue in West Chicago, are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted armed robbery with a firearm.

They are accused of killing Alejandro Rios and Antonio Delgado.

Police say they responded at 6:14 p.m. to a disturbance in the 700 block of West Forest Avenue. They saw a Honda Civic with the driver’s-side door ajar and the two dead men inside. The victims had been shot in the face and chest.

Police found two loaded firearms and several boxes of THC vaping cartridges in the vehicle, according to a news release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office.

According to the release, it is alleged that Arevalo and Ramirez arranged to buy more than $1,000 worth of THC cartridges. When the victims arrived, Arevalo got in the front passenger seat and Ramirez in the back, behind the driver. Ramirez told the victims it was a robbery.

Arevalos then shot Rios and Delgado, according to the news release. Ramirez sustained a gunshot injury.

The two were arrested at Central DuPage Hospital, where Arevalo and his father had brought Ramirez to be treated, according to a prosecutor’s petition for pretrial detention.

Judge Joshua Dieden denied pretrial release Tuesday for Arevalo. Ramirez still was hospitalized on Tuesday.

When asked if he felt bad about his actions, Arevalo said, “I dunno. I am pretty heartless,” according to the detention petition.

The petition also alleged that when Arevalo was alone in an interview room with his father, he was recorded saying, “If that gun comes back to more bodies, I am (in trouble).” Dieden cited those statements among the reasons he denied pretrial release.