50-Year Sentence Handed Down To 2nd Man For West Chicago Murder

WEST CHICAGO, IL — An Aurora man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison in connection with the fatal 2018 shooting of Alexander Nicolas in West Chicago.

Juan Calderon, 25, and Emilio Guillen, 32, of Rockford, were both convicted of first degree murder by a jury in September. Guillen was sentenced to 50 years in prison in November 2022.

Police were called to the 600 block of east Forest Avenue just after 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2018. Upon, arrival, they found Nicolas lying on his back with blood showing from the back of his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police, Calderon and Guillen attacked Nicolas while he was standing near his car, which was parked on Forest Avenue around 11:19 p.m. the previous night. Authorities say Guillen then told Calderon to shoot Nicolas, at which time Calderon shot Nicolas in the head.

Calderon and Guillen were taken into custody following an investigation.

Fredi Bautista, a third man linked to Nicolas's fatal shooting, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a firearm in 2021.

“In November 2018, Juan Calderon and Emilio Guillen viciously beat Alexander Nicolas before shooting him in the back of the head," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement Friday.

He added, "These two men violently took the life of another man because they believed he belonged to a rival gang. At trial, two independent juries rightfully found both men guilty of murder. Decades behind bars however, cannot bring Alexander back to those who loved him. This senseless murder has forever changed the lives of Alexander’s family and friends and I offer my condolences to them on their loss."