Second suspect in deadly St. Charles home invasion arrested

The St. Charles Police Department announced Oct. 26 that a second suspect in a January home invasion and fatal shooting has been apprehended.

Jose L. Melendez, of the 2500 block of North McClean Blvd. in Elgin, was arrested Oct. 25 by members of the Kane County Sheriff’s Office for his alleged involvement in the January shooting, according to an Oct. 26 news release sent by St. Charles Police Deputy Chief Erik Mahan.

Melendez is charged with attempted first-degree murder, two counts of home invasion, aggravated unlawful restraint and unlawful possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon. He was in custody at the Kane County jail.

At 7:37 p.m. Jan. 14, St. Charles police officers responded to a report of shots fired inside an apartment on the 100 block of Walnut Drive.

Officers arrived at an active scene and found several people in the apartment, including Lindenhurst resident James Gherardini, 26, who had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest area. When officers arrived, Gherardini was being dragged out of the apartment by Panagiotis Koutroumbis, 26, also of Lindenhurst, according to the news release.

Gherardini was treated at the scene by St. Charles Fire Department personnel and taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

According to the news release, investigators learned that Gherardini, Koutroumbis and a third person, now identified as Melendez, entered the apartment through an unlocked sliding glass door.

They reportedly zip-tied the hands of several occupants in the apartment and demanded items from them.

A 25-year-old St. Charles man, who at the time of the incident received an open line call from the cellphone of a resident inside the apartment, entered the apartment and was confronted by the three armed offenders, at least one of whom shot at him, according to police.

The individual, who is unnamed in the report, used a firearm to shoot toward the offenders. It is believed that during an exchange of gunfire, the individual was struck in the abdomen and Gheradini was fatally shot in the chest.

Koutrombis was charged in January with attempted first-degree murder, two counts of home invasion and aggravated unlawful restraint.

Melendez is believed to have fled the scene before police arrived. Investigators worked to secure an arrest warrant for Melendez, who was found Oct. 25 and taken into custody by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

The unnamed St. Charles man who was shot in the abdomen survived. Police have not released the identity of this individual or the identities of the occupants of the apartment.