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Man gets 14 years in prison in plea deal for death of pregnant woman Itzel Camarena found in Chatham

By
Shardaa Gray
Shardaa Gray
Reporter
Shardaa Gray is a Multimedia Reporter for CBS 2 Chicago. She joined the team in December 2021. She was born and raised in the south suburbs. She's happy to return home to report on her community.
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Shardaa Gray

/ CBS Chicago

A man will serve 14 years in prison in Illinois in accordance with a plea deal in the death of a pregnant woman whose body was found in Chatham more than two years ago.

In Feb. 2024, Itzel Camarena was found dead with a gunshot wound to her face in an alley near 82nd and Vernon Avenue. She was six months pregnant.

Two months later 28-year-old Dontrell Anderson was arrested in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and extradited to Chicago. He was initially charged with first degree murder and concealing a homicidal death.

But Camarena's mother, Vanessa Sanchez said she was told his Miranda rights were violated.  

"Last court date that I had, they said they violated his Miranda rights," she said Wednesday. "I don't know if it's when they got him in Wisconsin or right here in Chicago when they brought him back over here. I think that's what messed up my daughter's case."

Sanchez and her family have been praying for justice every day since her daughter was found. Now the day has come, but it's not the outcome she expected.

"Fourteen years for two lives that he took away is not enough," she said, fighting back tears. "Nothing will bring my daughter and grandbaby back."

Sanchez and her family are furious, because in the end Anderson only faced charges of manslaughter and hiding her daughter's body because of that Miranda rights violation.

A motion to suppress statement shows Chicago police detectives were in the process of informing Anderson of his Miranda rights to consult an attorney when he says, "Get me a lawyer." Documents also showed detectives continued to speak with him without an attorney present.

Anderson answered questions, even after his request for an attorney was ignored.

Sanchez said the assistant state's attorney told her to take the plea deal, and Anderson would be charged with manslaughter and concealment of a body.

Wednesday in court, prosecutors said Camarena and Anderson were dating at the time of her death. They were in an apartment in the Chatham neighborhood when he threatened her with a firearm, shot her and dragged her body outside of the apartment.

Prosecutors said he was seen on surveillance video trying to hide her body behind a dumpster.

Anderson pleaded guilty to a class two felony charge of manslaughter and a class three felony charge of concealment of a body, for a total of 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The judge said he will be credited for time served in jail.

Sanchez's family were at court, wearing shits that said, "Justice for Itzel." They were upset about the amount of time he'll spend in prison.

"Their anger and everything is not going to change nothing, but hopefully he feels what he did," Sanchez said.

Sanchez said she wants people to remember her daughter as a loving person who was excited to become a mother. 

Full statement from Cook County State's Attorney's Office

Prosecutors must evaluate the evidence at every stage of a criminal proceeding, and act accordingly in the pursuit of justice. After a thorough review of the evidence in this case, we determined that a plea agreement was an appropriate resolution. Today the defendant pled guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and Concealment of a Homicidal Death. He was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the Involuntary Manslaughter conviction, along with a concurrent five-year sentence for the concealment of a homicide.  This resolution reflects our commitment to holding individuals accountable while pursuing outcomes supported by the evidence and the law.

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