Suspect charged, more expected to be charged in slaying of West Chicago man
A reputed gang member and drug dealer with a lengthy criminal history has been charged with Friday's shooting death of 26-year-old Alexander Nicolas in West Chicago, according to DuPage County court records, and sources suggest more will be charged.
Fredi F. Bautista, 26, of West Chicago has been charged with first-degree murder, according to court records and sources familiar with the investigation.
Bautista and one to three other, as yet unidentified defendants are expected in bond court Thursday morning before Judge Jeffrey MacKay in courtroom 4014, sources said.
Bautista, most recently of the 100 block of East Brown Street, is currently on mandatory supervised release, or parole, after serving two years of a four-year sentence for possession of a firearm by a street gang member. He was released from Sheridan Correctional Facility on Aug. 2.
Bautista also has been charged twice with unlawful contact with street gang members in 2015 and 2016, and delivery of a controlled substance in 2013.
In the statement of facts in his 2016 firearms case, Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Lindt wrote, "This defendant is a gun-toting, gangbanging drug dealer."
Nicolas was found dead around 7:30 a.m. last Friday in front of a split-level house by a man who lives directly north of the house as the neighbor was leaving for work.
Authorities refused to discuss the case until Wednesday morning when they announced it was being treated as a homicide.
According to an online obituary, visitation for Nicolas was held Wednesday at Norris-Segert Funeral Home, 132 Fremont St. in West Chicago. Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Church, 140 N. Oakwood Ave., also in West Chicago.