Villa Park Man Gets 55 Years For Killing Girlfriend: Prosecutors

VILLA PARK, IL – A Villa Park man who killed his girlfriend in 2024 has been sentenced to 55 years in prison, DuPage County prosecutors announced Friday.

In May, Anthony Jimenez, 28, voluntarily pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder in the death of 24-year-old Jessica Reyes, prosecutors said.

Jimenez is required to serve his entire sentence before being eligible for parole. He'll be 83 by that time.

Jimenez has been in jail since Reyes' death on July 17, 2024.

Reyes served in the military for six years, according to her family's GoFundMe page.

Officers were called about 11 a.m. Wednesday to an apartment in the 1600 block of South Michigan Avenue in Villa Park.

Officers were met at the door by Jimenez, who had blood on his hands and chest, prosecutors said. He admitted he stabbed Reyes.

Officers found Reyes in a back bedroom bleeding on the floor. Officers administered aid until medics arrived and took her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead about 11:30 a.m., police said.

About 8 a.m., Jimenez and Reyes got into an argument. After a short while, Reyes climbed down the third-floor balcony to the parking lot because Jimenez would not let her leave, police said.

Jimenez went to the parking lot and spoke with Reyes. When the argument calmed down, they returned to the apartment.

When the dispute continued, Reyes collected her belongings. Jimenez pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed her in the side of the head, police said.

Reyes fought back, but Jimenez stabbed her a dozen times in her neck, face, arms, chest and hands, police said.

Jimenez only stopped when his mother entered the room, authorities said.

Her family set up a GoFundMe page after her death. The page described Reyes as the "most selfless, resilient, and goofiest human being."

"She accomplished amazing things in her 24 years of life," the page said. "No matter what, she was there for people who needed her."

In a news release, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin noted that October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

"This tragic case is a stark reminder that domestic violence must never be tolerated or excused, as doing so could result in deadly consequences," Berlin said.