Man pleads not guilty to murder of Round Lake Beach woman
A 20-year-old man accused of breaking into a house near Round Lake Beach and killing a woman pleaded not guilty to several first-degree murder charges in Lake County court Thursday.
Alonzo Campos Jr., who is due back in court July 11, could be sentenced up to 60 years in prison if found guilty at trial. Campos also has been charged with two felony counts of home invasion, which could carry 30 more years in prison.
Campos, of the 24500 block of West Passavant Avenue in unincorporated Lake County, remains held in Lake County jail on $2 million bail. Should he be able to post the required 10 percent, Compos would have to remain on 24-hour curfew, not partake in any drugs or alcohol and not have any contact with anyone involved in the case against him.
He is accused of going to Mariana Castro-Tellez's house about 4:30 a.m. May 17 to collect money for a PlayStation he apparently pawned to a person living there.
A family member called police at 4:41 a.m. to say he heard shots fired. Police found Castro-Tellez dead in an upstairs bedroom.
Castro-Tellez was shot four times with a BB gun and stabbed once, according to the Lake County coroner's office. She died from sharp-force trauma.
In court Thursday, Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Ryan Koehl said the victim also went by the name of Mariana Reyes.
Police from Round Lake Beach and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force used cameras in the area to track Campos walking to the Cherokee Drive house where the murder took place before the phone call to police. They also obtained video of Campos running from the house when the emergency call was made, authorities said.
The family member who called police was able to identify Campos on the video, authorities said.
Police confiscated from Campos a BB gun, shoes, pants, a sweatshirt and a 5-inch knife that has tested positive for blood, authorities said.
Campos admitted to police there was a dispute over the sale of a PlayStation with someone who lived in the house but denied committing a crime authorities said.