Antioch mayor speaks out after suspect released in Megan Bos case: 'I was shocked'

New details are emerging in the death of Megan Bos, a 37-year-old woman who disappeared in February and was found dead in April.

ANTIOCH, Ill. - New details are emerging in the death of Megan Bos, a 37-year-old woman who disappeared in February and was found dead in April.

A suspect has been charged in connection with her death but is no longer in custody — a decision now drawing criticism from local officials.

What we know:

Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner is among those speaking out.

"I was shocked to find out literally the next day that the person that they had arrested for this had been released from prison under the SAFE-T Act less than, detained less, I think, than 48 hours," Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner said.

Gartner, who is also a practicing attorney with 25 years of experience, said the system failed.

"There's other extenuating circumstances in this case. Not only the type of crime, how long the crime was concealed, the fact that the person that was arrested for this is not a U.S. citizen and you know, can maybe flight from the country," Gartner said.

Bos disappeared in February. Her mother, Jennifer Bos, spent weeks searching and praying for her daughter’s return.

"It's all I get back from her. It's her jewelry. I didn't get to see her," Jennifer said.

After a seven-week search, Bos was found under a blue tarp inside a container behind a home in Waukegan.

Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, who was familiar with Bos, told police she overdosed at his home. Rather than calling 911, he allegedly broke her phone, kept her body in the basement for two days, then moved it outside.

He has been charged with concealing her death and abuse of a corpse, but is not currently in custody.

What they're saying:

"Someone that hid their body in a garbage can for 51 days. After leaving it in the basement for two days, after not calling 911, breaking a phone. Is this a non-detainable offense? Should we not find out, wait for a toxicology report, anything?" said Rep. Tom Weber.

Bos’s friends said they are devastated by the new revelations.

"Where we centralized most of the searches was within 200 feet of where she was the entire time," said Megan's friend Jennie Szalay.

"We're not stopping Megan's story, is because we want justice for her, but we never want this to happen to somebody else again," said Megan's friend Jenn Merritt.

Gartner echoed that sentiment, calling for a re-examination of the law.

"There's two ways to hold somebody and that is obviously the nature of the crime and then the flight risk element… I think what should happen is that they should have pressed for the highest amount of charges and applied the law, um, as it's written and found a way to keep this person detained, especially given the fact of, you know, this was concealed for 60 days," Gartner said.

What's next:

A vigil for Bos is scheduled for Saturday.

Meanwhile, investigators are awaiting toxicology results to determine her exact cause of death.

Antioch Crime and Public Safety News