COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Milwaukee woman charged in a 2013 fatal stabbing in West Lawn had plotted to rob and kill the victim, according to prosecutors at a bond court hearing Wednesday.
Alashonza Johnson, 23, has been charged with murder after she and a friend allegedly set up 39-year-old Ismael Rangel to be robbed and killed in early September 2013, according to prosecutors for the state.
Rangel's body was found by police in his West Lawn apartment on Sept. 10, 2013, four days after he was stabbed over 200 times allegedly by Johnson and her friend, said Assistant State's Attorney Lesley Gool.
Johnson and her friend made plans to meet with Rangel and a friend of his on Sept. 6, 2013, Gool said. Rangel's friend left, saying the women were too young and that he wasn't interested in hanging out further.
Rangel then drove the two women to a liquor store and a fast food restaurant before returning to his home in the 6000 block of South Kolmar Avenue, Gool said.
Once inside the apartment, Johnson's friend got into an argument with Rangel, and the woman stabbed him, according to Gool. Johnson then joined in, grabbing a knife and, with the help of her friend, stabbed the man over 200 times, Gool alleged.
The friend, who is not being charged and whose name has not been released, stole the man's phone, prosecutors said. Johnson looked around to find something to steal, but couldn't find anything.
Detectives began tracing calls made from Rangel's stolen phone, Gool said. From the phone records, detectives got in touch with Rangel's girlfriend and his friend who was with the group the night of the murder.
Police got in touch with the person who coordinated the meet-up between Johnson and Rangel, and found that Johnson had moved to Wisconsin sometime after the incident in 2013, Gool said.
Johnson was in custody in Milwaukee County on an unrelated charge when Chicago police on Thursday went to Wisconsin to arrest her, Gool said.
Johnson is being held on $1 million bail.
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