The coroner said in an update that the cause of death remains undetermined as to whether a missing Antioch woman whose body was found dumped in a trash can was a homicide or an overdose.
Megan Bos, 37, of Antioch, was found dead on April 10 in the 700 block of Yeoman Street in Waukegan after she had been missing for two months.
Her body was discovered bleached, decomposed, wrapped in a blanket and in a trash can at the home.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said this week that an autopsy was conducted on April 11 on Bos.
“While the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and had been exposed to chemical substances, the initial autopsy reports showed no signs of trauma or a struggle and at no point was Megan decapitated before or after her death,” Banek said in response to inaccurate information publicized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) saying that Bos was found decapitated.
The coroner’s office has currently classified Bos’ death as undetermined.
The classification of cause of death in any case handled by the coroner is based on a combination of autopsy findings and investigative information, including scene findings, circumstances and medical history.
Bos’ body was found in a plastic garbage container. “These circumstances raise the suspicion of a homicidal death or possibly a drug related death,” Banek said.
Asphyxial homicides, those by strangulation, sometimes show no external or internal evidence of injury.
Banek said the decomposition of Bos’ body at the time of discovery complicates the interpretation of sometimes small but important physical findings suggestive of asphyxia.
Lab results showed fentanyl, cocaine metabolites and morphine were found in the woman’s liver tissue, which indicated recent potentially deadly cocaine, fentanyl and probable heroin use.
“Making a distinction between an accidental drug intoxication and an asphyxial death based solely on the autopsy findings, both the absence of significant trauma and the presence of potentially lethal drugs in the decedent’s body, is not possible,” Banek said.
The coroner said her office has worked in coordination with law enforcement and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure that “factual, objective forensic findings” are accurately represented.
Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, 52, of Waukegan, was charged with abuse of a corpse, two counts of concealing the death of a person and obstructing justice in connection with Bos’ death.
Mendoza-Gonzalez told investigators that Bos had come over to his residence on the evening of February 19 and visited with him.
He said that Bos snorted unknown drugs and asked if she could hang out in his basement, which he agreed to let her do.
Mendoza-Gonzalez said he returned and believed the woman had overdosed and was deceased.
He reported that he was scared that he was going to be in trouble so he left her in the basement for a few days before moving her to the garbage can in his yard.
Mendoza-Gonzalez allegedly wrapped Bos’ body, which was bleached, in a blanket before placing it in the garbage can.
She remained there for nearly two months until being located on April 10.
Mendoza-Gonzalez also admitted to breaking Bos’ phone and throwing it into a trash can.
Lake County Judge Randie Bruno released Mendoza-Gonzalez from custody following a First Appearance Court hearing on April 12, which she was required to do because of state law under the SAFE-T Act.
All of the charges against Mendoza-Gonzalez are Class 4 felonies but none of them are detainable offenses under the cashless bail law, so prosecutors could not file a petition to have him held pending trial and Bruno was forced to release him.
Bruno has received “significant threats and harassment” over the last few days, according to the 19th Judicial Circuit Court.
“These threats appear to stem from an inaccurate press release issued over the weekend (subsequently corrected) by a federal law enforcement agency, erroneous reporting by several media outlets covering the underlying criminal case, and social media posts containing a wide array of incorrect statements,” the circuit court said in a statement.
On Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Mendoza-Gonzalez.
Agents arrested Mendoza-Gonzalez, who is a Mexican national, at a market in Chicago and he is being held in ICE custody.
After Mendoza-Gonzalez’s arrest by ICE over the weekend, the event made national news and led to some news outlets and federal officials directly blaming Bruno for releasing Mendoza-Gonzalez, resulting in the threats and harassment she received.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said it was “absolutely repulsive that a judge freed this monster and allowed him to walk free on Illinois’s streets after allegedly committing such a heinous crime.”
“Disinformation undermines our Republic. Threats of violence and intimidation against judges weaken our democracy. Knowing what happens in court and understanding the law are essential to public trust,” the circuit court said in the statement on Tuesday.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office told Lake and McHenry County Scanner it is aware of threatening social media posts and harassing correspondence directed at Bruno.
“We have launched an investigation into the matter,” Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
“Making threats, especially against a sitting judge, crosses the line from protected speech to potential criminal conduct, and we take such behavior very seriously,” Covelli added.