Convicted Murderer Found Guilty of Attempted Murder

AURORA, IL — A former Aurora resident is headed to prison for trying to kill a man he robbed as part of a multi-county crime spree that ended with a murder in LaSalle County, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Luis A. Lomeli, 40, of the 12800 block of Route 34 in Plano, and formerly of Aurora, was convicted late Thursday by a Kane County jury of attempted first-degree murder, a class X felony, armed violence, a class X felony, and armed robbery, a class X felony.

The jury deliberated for about two hours before it reached its verdict.

Prosecutors said that May 1, 2011, Lomeli, his girlfriend and two co-defendants, were at a relative’s home in Ottawa, Ill., and decided they wanted to consume alcohol and drugs but had no money. Lomeli concocted a plan to drive to Aurora and rob someone.

The four drove in a borrowed car to a bar in the 1400 block of East New York Street, where Lomeli’s girlfriend was to entice a patron outside so the three co-defendants could rob him, according to the release. When the girlfriend did not immediately return, Lomeli grew impatient and decided to rob a man who left the bar and just entered his car, which was parked near Lomeli’s borrowed car.

Lomeli approached the victim and asked for a light for a cigarette, and then started to punch the victim. The co-defendants came over and joined in. They took his money and then Lomeli held down the victim as one of the co-defendants stabbed the victim in the back 13 times with a knife. Security from the bar came outside and the defendants fled, leaving the girlfriend behind in the bar.

The defendants went to the nearby home of a Lomeli relative to clean up. They then purchased drugs with the money they stole, and drove to a home of an acquaintance in Montgomery with the intent of robbing another victim.

They forced entry into the home, but were unable to obtain money from the homeowner and then fled back to Ottawa. In Ottawa they purchased more drugs, and then beat to death the person who sold them the drugs.

Lomeli was convicted of first-degree murder in the LaSalle County case and sentenced to 45 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The case against Lomeli involving the alleged Montgomery crime is pending.

Circuit Judge James C. Hallock set Lomeli’s next court appearance for 1:30 p.m. March 23, 2016, in Courtroom 313 at the Kane County Judicial Center for motions and sentencing. Lomeli faces a sentence of between 10 and 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The sentence would be served consecutive to the 45-year sentence Lomeli currently is serving for the LaSalle County murder.

Lomeli remains in custody at the Kane County jail.