Man Sentenced to 41 Years for Murder of Ex-Girlfriend on CTA Platform
Alejandro Arellano, 33, was sentenced to 41 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Maldonado, on a CTA platform in downtown Chicago. Arellano was found guilty of two counts of murder on Halloween, and Judge Timothy Joyce handed down the sentence on Tuesday, requiring Arellano to serve the full term.
Samantha Maldonado, 26, was last seen leaving Miller’s Pub on South Wabash around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Arellano followed her as she made her way to the Adams-Wabash platform.
Surveillance footage from the CTA allegedly captured Arellano taking out a folding knife and then attacking Maldonado as she attempted to board a train. He stabbed her multiple times in the chest, abdomen, and side before fleeing the scene on another train.
Maldonado collapsed outside Miller’s Pub, where witnesses, including the bar’s security officer, tried to administer first aid until help arrived. She later succumbed to her injuries at Stroger Hospital.
Police apprehended Arellano near his residence shortly after the incident. Bloodstains were found on his shoes and jeans, and a knife with suspected blood was recovered from his possession.
Described as a vibrant and generous soul, Maldonado’s cousin, Paulette Lopez, shared in a GoFundMe campaign that Maldonado had moved to Chicago from Ecuador to pursue a better life. Lopez highlighted Maldonado’s passion for life, dedication to her studies, and willingness to help others.
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