Waukegan Woman Accused of Recruiting Men to Tie Up, Beat and Rob Roommate After Housing Dispute

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — Three people are facing serious felony charges after prosecutors allege a Waukegan woman recruited a group of men to confront her roommate following an ongoing housing dispute, culminating in the man being tied up, beaten, threatened with a gun and robbed inside his home.

Maria D. Vara-Lopez, 37, of Waukegan; Gilberto Castaneda-Ortiz, 38, of Waukegan; and Jose A. Negrete-Zuniga, 39, of Joliet have been charged with home invasion causing injury, armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated robbery indicating armed and robbery.

Negrete-Zuniga also faces charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of methamphetamine.

Prosecutors said Vara-Lopez and the victim were roommates at a residence in the 700 block of Indiana Street in Waukegan, where the victim had been renting space in the basement for approximately five to six months.

Police had reportedly been called to the residence on July 31 following an argument between the two. On August 3, Vara-Lopez and her uncle served the victim with a notice ordering him to move out by August 10, but the victim indicated he did not intend to leave.

Later that day, the victim went to Waukegan City Hall with his juvenile son and filed an ordinance complaint alleging unsafe living conditions at the residence.

Prosecutors said he recorded himself filing the complaint and sent the video to Vara-Lopez.

While leaving City Hall, the victim allegedly encountered Negrete-Zuniga, Castaneda-Ortiz and a third man who has been identified by police but has not been charged.

Surveillance footage allegedly showed the men approaching the victim, with Negrete-Zuniga threatening him. The victim reportedly went back inside City Hall and told a receptionist he was being threatened and harassed.

The victim returned to the Indiana Street residence later that afternoon.

At approximately 5 p.m., prosecutors allege Vara-Lopez knocked on his bedroom door and told him she needed to give him something. When he opened the door, Vara-Lopez was allegedly standing with the three men.

The group allegedly pushed the victim into the bedroom and onto his bed.

Prosecutors said the third man grabbed an extension cord from the room and wrapped it around the victim’s knees, tying his legs together.

Negrete-Zuniga allegedly climbed on top of the victim and repeatedly struck him in the face, head and arm while the other men restrained him. Vara-Lopez is accused of scratching the victim’s face during the attack.

Authorities allege Negrete-Zuniga then asked Castaneda-Ortiz to retrieve a firearm. After receiving the weapon, Negrete-Zuniga allegedly pressed it against the victim’s head and threatened to kill him and his family if he did not leave the residence.

The victim’s wallet, cellphone and car keys were allegedly taken during the attack.

Nearby surveillance footage reportedly showed three men leaving the home shortly after 5:15 p.m. The victim emerged minutes later with a bicycle and traveled to his son’s residence, where his son called 911.

The victim was treated at Vista Medical Center East for injuries. Police reportedly observed marks on his knees, face, arm, torso and ribs, along with scratches around his forehead and eye.

Investigators said surveillance footage later showed Castaneda-Ortiz removing the license plates from the victim’s 2008 Mercedes-Benz.

Several days later, on August 7, a Waukegan police officer spotted the stolen Mercedes traveling near Yorkhouse Road and Lewis Avenue.

Police eventually stopped the vehicle and identified Negrete-Zuniga as the driver and sole occupant.

Negrete-Zuniga allegedly told investigators that the victim had allowed him to borrow the Mercedes so he could repair a suspension problem. Prosecutors said his account changed several times during questioning.

Investigators allege Negrete-Zuniga eventually acknowledged that Vara-Lopez wanted the men to help remove the victim from the residence and that his decision to file a complaint at City Hall was connected to what happened later that day.

Prosecutors further allege Vara-Lopez offered to pay the men for helping remove him.

Prosecutors sought detention for all three defendants.

Vara-Lopez was released pending further court proceedings, while Negrete-Zuniga and Castaneda-Ortiz were ordered detained.

A defense attorney representing one of the defendants has disputed the prosecution’s version of events, arguing that the victim had stopped paying rent, refused to leave the residence and instigated the confrontation.

Vara-Lopez, Castaneda-Ortiz and Negrete-Zuniga were scheduled to return to court Wednesday for arraignment following a grand jury indictment.

The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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