Man sentenced to 47 years for 2009 murder of brother-in-law

Online Staff Report

Juan Blanco, 46, has been sentenced to a total of 47 years in prison for the murder of his brother-in-law and attempts to conceal it.

Blanco, who was found guilty June 2, was sentenced to 45 years for first-degree murder and two years for concealing a homicidal death.

Jan. 16, 2009, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Police were dispatched to the Gem Suburban trailer park on South Main Street in reference to a body found in a white Dodge Intrepid near the trash bins. The Dodge’s registration returned to Felix Rojas-Perez, and it was determined the man lying dead in the back seat was Rojas-Perez.

An autopsy performed by Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia’s office determined Rojas-Perez died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head.

Evidence indicated Rojas-Perez had been shot in the head while in the driver’s seat of the Dodge and then dragged into the backseat.

Through an investigation conducted by Winnebago County detectives, it was determined Blanco was a person of interest in the case. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the victim’s place of employment, which revealed a blue Land Rover, the same type of vehicle owned by the defendant, driving around the parking lot Jan. 15.

Blanco had been seen at Marvin’s Tire Shop cleaning out his Land Rover and detectives located tied-up plastic grocery bags in the trash bin there. Inside the bag, detectives recovered a pair of tennis shoes that were identified as shoes Blanco was known to wear, a shell casing, as well as other evidence that was linked to other evidence found in Blanco’s vehicle.

First-degree murder is a class M felony that has a sentencing range of 20 to 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, because Blanco personally discharged the firearm killing the victim, the sentencing range increased to 45 years to natural life, and the defendant will serve the entire sentence. Concealment of a homicidal death is a class 3 felony with a sentencing range of two to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections or probation.