Michael Alfonso (murderer)
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{short description|American fugitive (born 1969)}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Michael Alfonso
| image = Michael Alfonso (FBI).png
| image_size =
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| birth_name = Michael Johnson
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|6|26}}
| birth_place = Illinois, U.S.
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| other_names = Michael A. Johnson
Michael Alfonso Johnson
Milton Lenon{{cite web|title=Michael Alfonso Mugshot - Michael Alfonso Arrest - Unsorted, IL|url=http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Illinois/Unsorted-IL/Michael-Alfonso.45508995.html|publisher=Mugshots.com|accessdate=June 1, 2016}}
Adolfo Ruiz
| occupation = Laborer
| known_for = Stalking, assaulting, and murdering ex-girlfriends
| predecessor =
| successor =
| penalty = Life imprisonment
| conviction_status =
| spouse =
| children =
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| conviction = First degree murder (x2)
Intentional homicide of an unborn child
Aggravated stalking
Kidnapping
Sexual assault (x2)
Concealment of homicidal death
Criminal possession of a weapon
Unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon
Aggravated battery
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| victims = * Sumanear Yang, who was carrying his baby
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| beginyear = 1992
| endyear = 2001
| country = United States
| states = Illinois
| locations = DuPage and Kendall County
| targets =
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| apprehended = July 15, 2004
| imprisoned = Stateville Correctional Center
| footnotes =
}}
Michael Alfonso (born Michael Johnson; June 26, 1969) is an American former fugitive who was convicted of multiple felonies, including two counts of murder, in the state of Illinois. In January 2003, a year and half after the second 2001 murder, he was placed on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list, with a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.{{cite news|title=New fugitive on FBI's 'Top Ten' list|url=http://www.upi.com/New-fugitive-on-FBIs-Top-Ten-list/69241043363901/|accessdate=May 2, 2017|work=United Press International|publisher=United Press International, Inc.|date=January 23, 2003|location=WASHINGTON, (UPI)|language=en}} After a year and half of being on the run, he was captured during a manhunt in Mexico and extradited back to the U.S.{{Cite web |title=State of Illinois {{!}} DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS {{!}} Inmate Search Results |url=https://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/search/inms_print.asp?idoc=B03335 |access-date=2022-03-17 |website=www.idoc.state.il.us}}
Alfonso's murders are disclosed and featured on Fox television series America's Most Wanted, Investigation Discovery series I (Almost) Got Away with It, and the Unsolved Mysteries series twice.
Prior convictions
Alfonso was convicted in 1990 of raping a 17-year-old girl repeatedly in an apartment complex lobby, and required to register as a sex offender.
Five years later in 1995, he was convicted of aggravated battery and possession of a weapon by a felon and was sentenced to four years in prison; he was released in 1998.{{cite news|title=Arrest warrant issued for suspect in killing of woman|url=http://www.qconline.com/news/illinois/arrest-warrant-issued-for-suspect-in-killing-of-woman/article_5d8343d5-b04a-5006-9f22-c49b899e5534.html|accessdate=April 30, 2017|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Dispatch-Argus-QCOnline|date=June 7, 2001|location=WHEATON, Ill.|language=en}}
Flight and capture
After the second murder, on June 6, 2001, Alfonso went on the run and escaped to Mexico.{{cite news|title=Longtime Fugitive Nabbed in Mexico|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/longtime-fugitive-nabbed-in-mexico|date=July 16, 2004|access-date=June 2, 2016|work=Fox News|agency=Associated Press|publisher=FOX News Network, LLC.}} In January 2003, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) placed him on the bureau's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, as fugitive #476.{{cite news|last1=O'Connor|first1=Matt|last2=McNeil|first2=Brett|title='Wanted' list fugitive found {{!}} Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/07/17/wanted-list-fugitive-found/|access-date=April 29, 2017|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=July 17, 2004|language=en}}{{cite web|title=#476. Michael Alfonso - FBI|url=https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/topten-history/hires_images/FBI-476-MichaelAlfonso.jpg/view|website=Federal Bureau of Investigation|publisher=U.S. Government, Dept. of Justice|accessdate=April 29, 2017|language=en-us}}
The chase lasted over three years and covered three Central American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Within months of his listing on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, Alfonso's crimes were featured across two episodes of the television show America's Most Wanted. Due to the media coverage, Mexican federal agents and American FBI agents received many tips on Alfonso's whereabouts. Once his location was verified, FBI agents were dispatched to assist Mexican authorities with his capture.
On July 15, 2004, he was captured and extradited back to the U.S. soon after.{{cite news|last1=BABWIN|first1=DON|title=Illinois man on FBI 10 Most Wanted list captured|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois-man-on-fbi-most-wanted-list-captured/article_ac359f10-caa1-5b67-88b0-c159528d7b40.html|accessdate=April 29, 2017|work=Associated Press Writer|publisher=NWI Times nwitimes.com|date=July 17, 2004|location=Chicago, IL.|language=en}} He was charged with multiple crimes, including stalking, assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, homicide of an unborn child, and murder.
Conviction and sentencing
Alfonso pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of Sumanear Yang, 23, and Genoveva "Gena" Franco-Velasquez, 28.
{{cite news
|last1=Bradbery
|first1=Angela
|last2=Barnum
|first2=Art
|title=Body In Park Identified As Wheaton Hairstylist
|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/11/11/body-in-park-identified-as-wheaton-hairstylist/
|access-date=June 3, 2016
|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune
|publisher=Tribune Publishing Company
|date=November 11, 1992
{{cite news
|last1=Coen
|first1=Jeff
|last2=Gregory
|first2=Ted
|last3=Chase
|first3=John
|last4=Barnum
|first4=Art
|last5=Spencer
|first5=LeAnn
|title=Suspect sought in slaying
|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2001/06/07/suspect-sought-in-slaying/
|access-date=June 3, 2016
|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune
|publisher=Tribune Publishing Company
|date=June 7, 2001
}} In September 1992, Yang, who was pregnant with Alfonso's child, was shot to death on the side of the road whilst in the passenger's seat of Alfonso’s car. Her body was found on November 8, 1992, near Yorkville, Illinois. Years later, in the summer of 2001, Michael Alfonso embarked on a new relationship with recently separated mother, Gena Velasquez. On June 5, 2001, Velasquez informed Alfonso that she and her husband were planning on fixing their marriage and getting back together. On June 6, 2001, Alfonso confronted Velasquez outside a McDonald's restaurant in Carol Stream, Illinois, where Velasquez was employed. An argument ensued, and Alfonso shot Velasquez several times at point blank range, killing her.
The prosecutor believed that Alfonso entered his guilty plea to avoid the possibility of a death sentence.{{cite web
|last1=Halperin
|first1=Rick
|title=[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----IDAHO, KAN., ILL., USA
|url=http://lists.washlaw.edu/pipermail/deathpenalty/2007-July/006678.html
|publisher=Washburn University School of Law Library
|accessdate=June 2, 2016
|date=July 12, 2007
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625134031/http://lists.washlaw.edu/pipermail/deathpenalty/2007-July/006678.html
|archive-date=June 25, 2016
|url-status=dead
{{cite news
|last1=Barnum
|first1=Art
|title=Killer of 2 girlfriends is given life in prison
|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/07/12/killer-of-2-girlfriends-is-given-life-in-prison/
|access-date=June 2, 2016
|work=Chicago Tribune
|publisher=Tribune Publishing
|date=July 12, 2007
}}
In popular media
Alfonso's fugitive case was reported on by the American docudrama series Unsolved Mysteries. The series used re-enactments and interviews with key persons to reveal the incidents of real mysteries that at that time were unsolved. (Episode information: season 12, episode 46; titled: "Wanted: Michael Alfonso"; originally aired on October 1, 2001.){{cite web|last1=Torres|first1=Gabe|title=Wanted: Michael Alfonso|website=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1096749/?ref_=ttmi_tt|accessdate=April 29, 2017|date=October 1, 2001}}{{cite web|title=Unsolved Mysteries Season 12 Episode 46 Episode #493|url=https://www.ovguide.com/tv_episode/unsolved-mysteries-season-12-episode-46-episode-493-205651|website=OVGuide|accessdate=April 29, 2017|language=en|date=October 1, 2001}}{{cite web|title=Unsolved Mysteries: Episode #493|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/unsolved-mysteries/episode-493-175305/|website=TV.com|accessdate=April 29, 2017|date=October 1, 2001}}
Alfonso was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in January 2003. Within six months of his fugitive listing, the Fox television series America's Most Wanted{{cite web|title=AMW {{!}} Fugitives {{!}} Michael Alfonso {{!}} Case |url=http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=25232 |publisher=America's Most Wanted |accessdate=April 29, 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109074903/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=25232 |archivedate=November 9, 2012 |date=May 9, 2004 |url-status=dead }} reported on Alfonso twice in March and May 2004.{{cite web|title=America's Most Wanted - Season 17 Episodes|url=http://movieweb.com/tv/americas-most-wanted/season-17/|publisher=Watchr Media|accessdate=June 1, 2016}} FBI spokesman Frank Bochte announced, "He was arrested recently after a person in Mexico recognized him from the television show America's Most Wanted and called authorities."{{cite news|last1=Vries|first1=Lloyd|title='Wanted' Show Nabs Another One|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wanted-show-nabs-another-one/|accessdate=June 1, 2016|work=cbsnews.com|agency=Associated Press|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|date=July 16, 2004}}
An episode of I (Almost) Got Away with It titled "Got Dumped" (season 1, episode 2),{{cite web|title=Michael Alfonso {{!}} I (Almost) Got Away With It - Got Dumped|url=https://wn.com/michael_alfonso|website=World News|accessdate=April 30, 2017}} a documentary series on the Investigation Discovery channel, originally aired on January 19, 2010. It reported on Alfonso's murders and violence against multiple women.{{cite web|title=I (Almost) Got Away with It - Season 1 Episodes|url=http://movieweb.com:80/tv/i-almost-got-away-with-it/season-1/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314204004/http://movieweb.com:80/tv/i-almost-got-away-with-it/season-1/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 14, 2017|publisher=Watchr Media|accessdate=June 1, 2016}} The documentary also covered his escape to Mexico, where he attempted to start a new life. While on the run, he attempted to live in parts of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize before returning to Mexico, where he was apprehended.{{cite web |title=Got Dumped {{!}} I (Almost) Got Away with It |url=https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/i-almost-got-away-with-it/full-episodes/got-dumped |website=investigationdiscovery.com |publisher=Discovery Communications, LLC. |accessdate=July 29, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729174759/https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/i-almost-got-away-with-it/full-episodes/got-dumped |archivedate=July 29, 2018 |language=en-us |date=January 19, 2010 |quote=Season 1 • Episode 2 The main suspect in the murder of a pregnant ex-girlfriend, and wanted for the shooting of a current one, Michael Alfonso is a jealous boyfriend who time and again turns to violence. It is Alfonso's criminal lifestyle that gets him caught. 44 min {{!}} TV-14 {{!}} Premiered January 19, 2010}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.dupageco.org/States_Attorney/States_Attorney_News/2007/30474/ Illinois State Attorney, DuPage County, Press Release]; Michael Alfonso Sentenced to Natural Life for Murder of Two Former Girlfriends (July 11, 2007)
- [http://law.justia.com/cases/texas/fourteenth-court-of-appeals/2005/80792.html Alfonso v. The State of Texas] Alfonso appeals his arrest and extradition (May 2005)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20030423181614/http://chicago.fbi.gov/pressrel/2003/jan-23.htm FBI Chicago Press Release]; Michael Alfonso added to FBI Ten Most Wanted List (January 23, 2003)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfonso, Michael}}
Category:1992 murders in the United States
Category:2001 murders in the United States
Category:American people convicted of attempted murder
Category:American people convicted of murder
Category:American people convicted of rape
Category:American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
Category:Criminals from Illinois
Category:FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
Category:People convicted of battery
Category:People convicted of murder by Illinois
Category:Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Illinois