Second man convicted in unsolved woman's death case

A second man has been convicted of intimidation in connection with a Chicago woman’s death, which still is being investigated by authorities.

On Thursday, Jonathan “Jon Jon” Rodriguez, 30, of Calumet City, pleaded guilty to intimidation. Another charge of concealing the death of Martha Sanchez of Chicago was dismissed, Will County State’s Attorney spokesman Charles B. Pelkie said.

Rodriguez was given the same two-year prison sentence as Esteban “Steve” Rodriguez, 28, of Tinley Park, he said.

Esteban, Jonathan’s alleged accomplice, had also pleaded guilty to intimidation on May 23. A charge of concealing a death was dismissed. He communicated a threat to a Wilmington woman by implying “something bad” would happen to her if she spoke with police, according to court records.

Esteban is serving five years in Stateville for an aggravated unlawful use of a weapon conviction in Cook County.

Pelkie said the court dispositions for both men’s cases do not prevent prosecutors from moving forward with additional charges in relation to Sanchez’s death if the evidence warrants it.

“The case is still open and under investigation at this point,” Pelkie said.

Jonathan’s attorney Cosmo Tedone was unable to be reached Friday. Tedone has said Jonathan has murder and attempted murder charges pending in Cook County. He said his client made no statements to the police, unlike Esteban.

A Freedom of Information Act request sent to the Will County Coroner’s Office for records on Sanchez’s death was denied Friday.

The coroner’s office said in a letter it denied the request because the records contained private information and it would “hinder pending or reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings” and police are “actively pursuing each and every lead and reviewing existing evidence.”

Chief Deputy Coroner Kevin Stevenson said the cause and manner of Sanchez’s death is undetermined.

Sanchez vanished on July 4. Her body was found several days later on the shore of the Kankakee River near North Readman Lane in Wilmington. Officials were not able to identify the body for more than a month. Dental records were used to identify Sanchez.

The Rodriguezes were arrested in August after an investigation by the Illinois State Police.