25 years prison in 2017 stabbing murder in Elgin over affair; two still await trial
An Elgin man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday after admitting to his role in the August 2017 stabbing death of a man involved in an affair.
Gabriel M. Lopez, 28, of the 600 block of St. Charles Street, faced 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted of the first-degree murder of Bayron Cruz-Garcia, 26, of South Elgin.
According to court records, Cruz-Garcia was found shirtless and stabbed 14 times about 1:55 a.m. Aug. 12, 2017, on the 1100 block of Jansen Farm Road on the city's far west side, according to police and Kane County court records.
Cruz-Garcia, who was married, and a 41-year-old woman he was having an affair with texted early that morning to have "coffee," according to a search warrant.
The two met about 1:30 a.m. on Jansen Farm Road and Cruz-Garcia got into her vehicle so they could get "intimate," according to a police affidavit included in the search warrant.
After about 13 minutes, three men opened the car's back door, pulled Cruz-Garcia out and began to attack him, according to the search warrant.
During the attack, one man said something to the effect of "so you won't forget" and mentioned the name of another woman Cruz-Garcia might also have had an affair with, according to the affidavit.
All three ran from the area and the woman called police. Cruz-Garcia died at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.
Police used surveillance video to watch part of the attack and gather information about a suspect vehicle.
Kane County Judge D.J. Tegeler accepted Lopez's guilty plea Thursday.
Lopez's defense attorney, Gordon Hirsh, could not be reached for comment.
Last year, Ivette Rodriguez, 22, of Carpentersville, who authorities said was the getaway driver in the attack, pleaded guilty to felony obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Under state law, she was able to have her sentenced cut in half for good behavior and was released from prison this spring.
Carlos F. Lopez-Calderon, 31, of the 0-100 block of Birch Street, Elgin, is held on $3 million bail at the Kane County jail on murder charges. According to authorities, he had children with the woman who was having the affair with Cruz-Garcia.
He is next due in court Sept. 27. Earlier this year, Lopez's jury trial was set for Aug. 5 but it was canceled, records show.
Michael A. Giacomino, 33, of the 800 block of Bode Road, Elgin, also is charged with murder. He's held on $1.04 million bail and next due in court Oct. 3 for a possible plea or setting his case for trial.