Geneva man sentenced to life after pleading guilty in deaths of girlfriend, teen son

GENEVA - A Geneva man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the fatal stabbings of his girlfriend and her teenage son, prosecutors said. 

The backstory:

Alejandro Cota, 52, was sentenced Wednesday to natural life in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, according to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office.

The charges stem from Dec. 26, 2024, when prosecutors said Cota stabbed his girlfriend, Christina Chavira, 47, and her 13-year-old son, D.C., multiple times, causing their deaths.

Geneva police responded about 8 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a domestic violence incident in the 2700 block of Emma's Way. After receiving no response at the front door, officers forced entry into the home and found Cota and the two victims inside.

Authorities said Chavira and her son were unresponsive and suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Chavira was treated at the scene before being transported to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, where she died. D.C. was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center but later died from his injuries, prosecutors said.

Cota surrendered to police and was taken to the Geneva Police Department.

The Kane County Coroner's Office determined Chavira died from multiple stab wounds. An autopsy conducted by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office found D.C.'s death was a homicide caused by multiple stab wounds, according to the state's attorney.

What they're saying:

"This defendant committed a brutal and senseless act of violence that took the lives of a mother and her young son, leaving an indelible mark on their loved ones and our community. With this verdict, we achieve a measure of justice for the victims and their family, and we hold the accused accountable for these horrific crimes. In my view, this is precisely the kind of case for which the death penalty should exist since even a sentence of natural life imprisonment seems inadequate when measured against the innocent lives that were taken…," said Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser.

"The defendant in this case committed acts of unspeakable and brutal violence against a mother and her young son. These crimes devastated their loved ones and shook our community to the core. This senseless violence will never be forgotten. While life is forever changed for their loved ones, I hope that the verdict holding the defendant accountable for his heinous crimes brings them a sense of justice," said Geneva Police Chief Passarelli. 

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