Arrest Made After Pregnant Woman Murdered, Left On Side Of Road: Cops

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Authorities have arrested a man who they believe was involved in the strangling death of a 39-year-old pregnant woman, whose body was dumped on the side of a Lake County road last month.

On Monday, authorities took Juan A. Vega-Montoya, 37, of the 2100 block of North Narragansett Avenue in Chicago, into custody. He has been charged in Lake County with concealing a homicidal death, with prosecutors alleging he left the body of Megan Lewis on the side of Hunt Club Road in late November.

He is accused of strangling her to death in Chicago two days earlier and leaving her body in his car before dumping it, according to police. Following an investigation, detectives determined Lewis was picked up by Vega-Montoya in the area of Cicero Avenue and West Belden Avenue in Chicago on Nov. 26.

While in the vehicle, the two began arguing and Vega-Montoya strangled Lewis to death, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

He then drove home and left her body in his car for two days before he drove to the area of Hunt Club Road and Kelley Road in Old Mill Creek and left her body on the side of the road during the early morning hours of Nov. 28. Police said Lewis had some facial trauma, and an autopsy determined Lewis' death was consistent with strangulation.

On Monday, the sheriff's office took Vega-Montoya into custody after conducting surveillance of the area. Detectives spotted him driving and pulled his vehicle over before arresting him.

"Additional physical evidence of the homicide was located inside Vega-Montoya’s vehicle," authorities said in a news release.

Vega-Montoya is expected to make his initial court appearance Wednesday morning in Lake County and prosecutors are filing a petition for detention to detain Vega-Montoya in the Lake County Jail while he awaits trial.

Meanwhile, Chicago police are investigating the homicide and could seek to file murder charges against Vega-Montoya, authorities said.

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• Woman Murdered, Dumped On Side Of Lake County Road

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