Two West Chicago teens accused of murder following drug deal, prosecutors

Two West Chicago teenagers face first-degree murders charges after fatally shooting two men during a drug deal, prosecutors said.

Xavier Arevalo, 17, of the 400 block of Kenwood Avenue, and Ivan Ramirez, 18, of the 800 block of Parkside Avenue, are charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted armed robbery with a firearm, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

About 6:14 p.m. Nov. 9, West Chicago police responded to a disturbance in the 700 block of West Forest Avenue and saw a green Honda Civic with the driver’s side door ajar. Police found two deceased individuals, later identified as Alejandro Rios and Antonio Delgado, in the car. Both men suffered apparent gunshots to their faces and chests, according to the release. Police also found two loaded firearms and several boxes of THC vaping cartridges within the vehicle, authorities said.

Arevalo and Ramirez, who is currently hospitalized for a gunshot wound, allegedly arranged to meet Rios and Delgado to purchase more than $1,000 worth of THC cartridges, according to the release.

The victims arrived at the Forest Avenue location in the Honda and Arevalo and Ramirez approached the car. Arevalo entered the front passenger’s seat, and Ramirez entered the rear driver’s side seat of the car, authorities said.

Ramirez allegedly told the victims, who were both armed, that this was a robbery. Arevalo allegedly shot Rios in the head and chest and shot Delgado in the chest multiple times. After the murders, Arevalo and Ramirez fled the scene on foot, according to the release.

Police later received information regarding a gunshot victim at a local hospital. Police arrested Arevalo at the hospital without incident.

“The violent shooting death of two men, allegedly at the hands of a 17-year-old, will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Acts of extreme violence, as alleged in this case, not only effect the family of the deceased, but also blanket the entire community in fear and disbelief that such a horrible event happened just outside their front door. I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the victims on their loss.”

“The tragic murders of these two men are a senseless loss of life that did not have to happen,” West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury said in the release. “While this was an isolated incident, that doesn’t make it any easier. Violent crime affects us all and no community should be subjected to the type of violence alleged in this case.”

Arevalo’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 9. Ramirez will appear in court sometime in the future.