Bail set at $1.5 million for third man charged in West Chicago murder
After fleeing to southern Illinois, the third suspect charged with murder in the Nov. 9 slaying of 26-year-old Alexander Nicolas in West Chicago returned to DuPage County Friday for a bail hearing.
Judge Jeffrey MacKay set bail at $1.5 million for Fredi Bautista, 26, of West Chicago, who did not contest the ruling.
Bail was set Thursday at $4 million for Juan Calderon, 21, of Aurora, who is believed to have shot Nicolas in the head that night. Emilio Guillen, 27, of Rockford, who is accused of driving the men and ordering Calderon to shoot Nicolas, is being held on $2 million bail.
Prosecutors said Thursday that the three men were drinking at a West Chicago bar and were "amped up and looking for trouble" when they left shortly after 11 p.m. Nov. 8.
At 11:19 p.m., Nicolas was seen on a neighbor's security camera leaving a party on the 600 block of East Forest Avenue and walking to his blue Ford Escape.
As he stepped behind his vehicle, the three defendants drove by in Guillen's car. Prosecutors said it was then that Bautista identified Nicolas as a rival gang member.
Authorities said the three suspects stopped and began beating Nicolas before Calderon shot him once in the back of the head.