A Waukegan man has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for killing his former wife, who was the mother of his two kids, in Waukegan on Valentine’s Day in 2021.
Jose A. Alvarado-Ramirez, 35, of Waukegan, was charged in February 2021 with three counts of first-degree murder.
Dispatchers received a 911 call on February 14, 2021, from Alvarado-Ramirez reporting that his ex-wife was unresponsive inside a vehicle.
The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department responded to the call around 6:45 a.m. in the 500 block of Lakehurst Road.
Then-Waukegan Police Commander Edgar Navarro said at the time that officers located Meztli Galindo, 29, of Waukegan, unresponsive in a parked white sedan.
Paramedics arrived and determined the woman was dead at the scene. Friends of Galindo said she was a mother of two children.
The Major Crime Scene Unit and Criminal Investigations Division (CID) detectives were called to investigate.
Detectives interviewed Alvarado-Ramirez, who lives in the 500 block of Lakehurst Road, which is the same block where the murder occurred.
Detectives learned he was Galindo’s estranged ex-husband.
An autopsy showed Galindo died as a result of multiple sharp force injuries, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
A GoFundMe, started by four family friends, raised $46,000 following the murder.
The money raised went to Galindo’s mother, who assumed the role of guardian of Galindo’s two children, who were in “desperate need of help during this trying time.” The money also went towards funeral expenses.
“For anyone who did not know Mez, she was a kind spirit who helped others whether they were a friend or a stranger and no matter how long they had been in her life. It was never an inconvenience for her to help anyone in need,” the family friends said.
“She was a devoted mother who only wanted to be the best for her kids and was actively trying to further herself and continue her education. Her loss has affected the lives of many, and we are all lost without her bright light,” they added.
Alvarado-Ramirez was ordered held in the Lake County Jail on a $2 million bond after his arrest.
Court records show he entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office on November 21.
Alvarado-Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder in exchange for a 28-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
He will receive credit for almost 1,400 days of time served in custody awaiting his case.
A projected parole date from the IDOC was not immediately available.