Defendant Andrew Alexander, 18, entered a negotiated “guilty” plea on one count of 2nd degree murder, a special class 1 felony, on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with the Illinois Department of Corrections.
“I would like to commend the Grayslake Police Department and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force for their hard work on this extensive investigation and bringing this offender to justice. Thank you to our team of prosecutors and victim specialists have who have been working hard on this difficult case. Our hearts break for the family and friends of the victim and we will continue to offer support to them.”
— Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart
At the sentencing hearing at the Waukegan Courthouse, the Court noted that Alexander was first charged as juvenile in May 2023, but was transferred to adult court in January 2024. The charges stem from the fatal shooting that took place in Grayslake on September 17, 2022. Grayslake Police Department responded to Northwestern Medicine Center for a report of a gunshot wound victim, later identified as Isidro Juarez, 23.
After conducting an extensive investigation, detectives learned the Juarez was a passenger in a Nissan that was traveling on Washington Street near Lancer Ln. An occupant of a Ford Focus that was also traveling on Washington began shooting at the Nissan. Juarez was struck and rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Eventually, detectives from Grayslake “broke the case” and determined that Alexander was the perpetrator after a lengthy and detailed canvas of Focus owners.
During the plea, a victim impact statement written by the victim’s mother was read. The statement described how the mother’s grief looked different every day and the pain she feels every day because she will never be able to hear her son’s voice again.
After the court hearing, Grayslake Deputy Chief Jeff Myhra stated,
“We would like to thank the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office for working alongside Grayslake detectives to bring this case to a successful conclusion. Thanks to this collaborative effort, Andrew pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder charges and was sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in connection with this incident.”
Andrew Alexander will receive 250 days credit for time already served.
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
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