A man who authorities said shot his girlfriend in the face in front of her daughter in a Waukegan bar in early 2015 pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Monday under a negotiated sentencing agreement.
Under the agreement, Roberto Romero, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder in exchange for a sentencing range of 30 to 60 years in prison, to be determined by Lake County Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes at a sentencing hearing scheduled July 19.
Elpidia Munoz-Garcia, 33, was shot in the face Jan. 2, 2015, inside the Buenos Bar in Waukegan, where she was working. Authorities have said the shooting was caught on videotape and witnessed by the victim’s 9-year-old daughter.
Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Grindel said in court Monday that Romero had also signed a confession after being read his Miranda rights.
He had been charged with first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement for using a gun that would have resulted in a sentence of 45 years to life upon conviction.
Grindel told Shanes the state agreed to strike the firearm enhancement from the charge as part of the plea. While the normal sentencing range for first-degree murder is 20 to 60 years in prison, the agreement includes a minimum sentence of 30 years instead of 20, with a 60-year cap.
Shanes said the sentence Romero receives must be served at 100 percent due to the charge to which he has pleaded guilty.
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Before Romero entered his guilty plea, Shanes advised him that because he is a citizen of Mexico, it is likely he could be deported after his sentence is served, but that decision would be made by federal officials.
According to police reports and prosecutors, Munoz-Garcia was shot in the face just after 1 a.m. inside the Waukegan restaurant and bar. Romero, who was 23 at the time of the shooting, had pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder after his indictment.
The shooting of Munoz-Garcia, described by police and prosecutors as Romero’s girlfriend, was the first homicide of 2015 in Lake County.
Prosecutors previously have said Munoz-Garcia had texted Romero’s parents prior to the shooting and told them that Romero had taken their gun.
When the parents arrived at the bar and were about to take possession of the weapon, Romero “took the gun and discharged it two to three times directly in the face of the victim,” Assistant State’s Attorney Carolina DeLeon-Bond said during a hearing after his arrest.
Romero allegedly told Waukegan police that he had taken the gun from his parents’ house, and after he and Munoz-Garcia got into an argument, he pulled out the gun and shot her, according to prosecutors.
Defense attorney Jed Stone said Monday in court that at the sentencing hearing, he plans to argue for leniency due to mental illness, saying that Romero was suffering from a serious mental illness at the time of the crime.
“I believe it is substantial mitigation for a horrible crime,” Stone said.
Under questioning from Shanes, Stone said said he has no doubt that Romero is currently mentally fit under Illinois standards and fully understands the aspects of the plea deal. Romero told Shanes he is not on any medications in Lake County Jail.
Negotiations for a plea deal were being explored for at least the the past year.
Romero has been held in Lake County Jail in lieu of $3 million bail since his arrest.