On May 12, 1992, at approximately 12:15 a.m., 22-year-old Jimmy Cruz, a male of Hispanic descent, and 21-year-old Hector Reyes were fatally shot in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. Both men were members of the Latin Kings street gang. Cruz was found lying on the sidewalk near a .25-caliber cartridge casing, while Reyes was discovered inside a park restroom with a bullet located three feet from his head.
Autopsies revealed that both victims died from close-range gunshot wounds to the back of the head.
The investigation led to the arrest of three female members of the rival Maniac Latin Disciples gang: 21-year-old Marilyn Mulero, 15-year-old Jacqueline Montanez, and 16-year-old Madeline Mendoza. Authorities believed the murders were in retaliation for the killing of a fellow gang member named Mudo by the Latin Kings a few days earlier. According to statements obtained by the police, the three women decided to avenge Mudo's death by targeting Latin Kings members. They encountered Cruz and Reyes, invited them to Humboldt Park under the pretense of partying, and subsequently shot them.
Following their arrests, all three women were charged with first-degree murder. Montanez, tried as an adult despite being 15, was convicted and initially sentenced to life in prison without parole. Her sentence was later reduced to 63 years, making her eligible for release in as soon as 7½ years. Mendoza pleaded guilty and received a 35-year sentence; her conviction was vacated in 2023 due to concerns about the integrity of the investigation. Mulero pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death, becoming the first woman on Illinois' death row. Her sentence was later commuted, and she was released after spending nearly three decades in prison. Mulero has since filed a lawsuit alleging that her confession was coerced by detectives.
The cases have been marred by allegations of misconduct against the investigating officers, particularly Detectives Reynaldo Guevara and Ernest Halvorsen. Multiple convictions linked to these detectives have been overturned amid claims of coerced confessions and fabricated evidence, casting doubt on the integrity of the original investigations.
