DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett, in conjunction with Kendall County State’s Attorney Melissa Barnhart, Chief Mark Field of the Wheaton Police Department, and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announce that Michael Alfonso, 36 (d.o.b. 6/26/69), has been extradited from Harris County, Texas and has returned to DuPage County to face murder charges in DuPage and Kendall Counties.  After being deported from Mexico, Alfonso had been placed in the custody of Wheaton Police Department Detectives on July 16, 2004.  Because of travel issues, Alfonso was housed by the Harris County Jail.  Alfonso unsuccessfully contested his extradition to Illinois.  He was returned today to DuPage County and is pending an appearance in bond court. A Wheaton Police Department Detective and FBI Agents returned with Alfonso from Texas this afternoon.

We have alleged that at about 8:30 a.m. on June 6, 2001, Alfonso shot and killed Genoveva Franco Velasquez as she approached a restaurant where she worked as an Assistant Manager.  Alfonso approached the victim and removed a hand gun from a duffle bag he was carrying.  He then shot Velasquez at point blank range.  He then stood over the victim and continued to fire several more rounds into her body.  Alfonso ran from the scene, threw the murder weapon in a sewer and fled in his black Firebird.  Alfonso abandoned his car at the Indianapolis Airport. 

First Degree Murder charges and one count of Aggravated Stalking were filed against the defendant in June, 2001. 

Alfonso, under the alias Michael Johnson, has also been charged in Kendall County in connection with the 1992 murder of Sumanear Yang.  In regards to this charge, it is alleged that Yang was also killed by a gunshot wound to the head.  Her remains were recovered in Silver Springs Park, Kendall County. Sumanear Yang, as was the case with Genoveva Franco Velasquez, had broken off a romantic relationship with Alfonso.  At the time of the Velasquez murder, Alfonso remained the only suspect in the Yang murder.  Developments in the Kendall County case led to a recent indictment for murder charges. 

If convicted of either or both of these vicious murders, Michael Alfonso may face the death penalty.  “The prosecution of Michael Alfonso will not bring back the lovely young women to their husbands, children and others.  However, we hope there will be justice for them and some closure with these prosecutions,” said State’s Attorney Birkett. 

State’s Attorney Birkett would like to thank the Wheaton Police Department, especially Detectives Zdan, Cooley and Hamill; the DuPage County Major Crimes Task Force; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Justice;  the Harris County, Texas District Attorney’s Office; and the Harris County Sheriff’s Department for their hard work and tireless efforts in the investigation and apprehension of Alfonso.

Members of the public are reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not proof of a defendant’s guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.