Law & Order column: Coroner corrects ‘misinformation' about death

Chicago Tribune

25-07-2025

The Lake County Coroner's Office recently countered what it called misinformation spread by federal immigration authorities in the case of Megan Bos, the Antioch woman whose corpse was found in a man's backyard.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office announced on July 20 that the man charged with concealing Bos' body had been arrested for immigration violations, and that Bos' head had been removed from her body.
Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez was taken into custody in Chicago while awaiting trial on charges related to Bos' death.
'In response to recent inaccurate media reports, the Lake County Coroner's Office clarifies that Megan Bos was not decapitated,' the coroner's office said in a news release issued the day after ICE reported the arrest of Mendoza-Gonzalez. 'This misinformation has caused unnecessary distress to the family and misrepresents the facts of this investigation.'
Mendoza-Gonzalez, a 52-year-old Waukegan resident, told authorities that Bos, 37, whom he knew, had come to his house in February, snorted some type of drugs and then died, authorities said. He said he put her body in a container in his backyard and broke her phone because he thought he would get into trouble, police said. He is alleged to have used bleach on Bos' body.
Family members had spent weeks searching for her before her body was found in April. Mendoza-Garcia was charged with concealing a homicide, abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice, but was not held in custody because the charges – all Class 4 felonies – are not detainable under the cashless bail program now in effect in Illinois.
State's Attorney Eric Rinehart issued a statement saying Bos had not been decapitated, and that her cause of death had been ruled 'undetermined.'
'As we have told the family, we believe that a criminal trial and sentencing is more appropriate than deportation procedures,' the statement said. 'As people know, deportation to another country does not lead to prison in that country. If he were to agree to deportation, he could be free in days. We are hopeful that he will be brought to court so that he can be held fully accountable for his actions.'
The arrest has sparked another round of criticisms of the cashless bail system instituted as part of the state's Safe-T Act.
Suspects fled
Gurnee police officers arrested two Racine men who fled a Wisconsin traffic stop after their car was spotted near Interstate 94.
The pair, along with a third person, reportedly drove off from a Wisconsin police officer before crossing into Illinois. However, before entering the state, a Wisconsin police officer had deployed 'stop sticks' which flattened two of the vehicle's tires.
Gurnee police responding to reports of a reckless driver found the vehicle near an auto parts store in the Grand Avenue /I-94 area. As officers approached the stopped vehicle, the occupants ran off.
The three were detained after a coordinated response including police dogs and foot pursuit. One of the trio had an active warrant out of Racine, and another was charged with resisting arrest. The third person was released without charges, police said.
Drug sale arrest
Officers with the Special Investigations Group of the Lake County Sheriff's Office have arrested a Waukegan man on drug charges.
Agustin Arias, Jr., 41, of the 900 block of Woodlawn Avenue, was arrested on July 17, police said, for selling cocaine.
The sheriff's office said it received a tip that Arias, who lives near the Glen Flora Elementary School, was selling drugs. During the investigation, Arias made several drug sales to undercover officers, authorities said. On July 17, he was taken into custody during a traffic stop, police said.
He has been charged with delivery of a controlled substance near a school.
Child porn charge
A Lake Zurich man was charged with child pornography counts after police searched his residence, according to the sheriff's office.
Randall R. Grueb, 59, of the 800 block of Interlaken Drive, was taken into custody Thursday.
Police said they learned that an electronic device in the home had been used to download and share thousands of child pornography images in recent months. Authorities said they discovered more than 100 images in Grieb's possession after searching.