Man hid missing IL woman’s body in container, officials say. He’s arrested by ICE
A man facing charges in connection with the discovery of a missing Illinois woman’s body in a container in his yard has been arrested by immigration officials.
Jose L. Mendoza-Gonzalez, 52, was arrested by Waukegan police on April 10 and charged with two counts of concealment of death, one count of abuse of a corpse and one count of obstructing justice, according to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
He is accused of hiding the body of 37-year-old Megan Bos, who was last seen on Feb. 17, according to Antioch police and prosecutors.
Mendoza-Gonzalez appeared in court after his initial arrest and was released prior to his next scheduled appearance, according to a news release by the Department of Homeland Security.
The man from Mexico was later detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago on July 19 and was accused of being in the United States without authorization, the department said.
“I am thrilled,” Jennifer Bos, Megan Bos’ mother, said in an interview with WLS after the arrest. “I don’t know what’s gonna happen now, but I do know he wasn’t sleeping in his bed last night.”
Bos was reported missing on March 9 and found in April, officials said, but her exact cause of death is still under investigation.
Specifically, the Lake County Coroner’s Office is investigating the role of fentanyl in Bos’ death, prosecutors said. According to the initial autopsy, her body showed no signs of trauma or struggle, according to prosecutors.
Local officials said they were not contacted by ICE but are working to officially request that Mendoza-Gonzalez be held locally.
“As people know, deportation to another country does not lead to prison in that country,” the state’s attorney’s office said in a statement. “If he were to agree to deportation, he could be free in days. We are hopeful that he will be brought to court so that he can be held fully accountable for his actions.”
Antioch is about a 55-mile drive northwest from Chicago.
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Man hid missing IL woman’s body in container, officials say. He’s arrested by ICE."
