Suburban man sentenced to 32 years after fatal shooting at Gurnee Mills in 2021

GURNEE MILLS, Ill. - A Vernon Hills man has been sentenced to 32 years in prison after he fatally shot a man in the parking lot of Gurnee Mills in 2021.

Joey Gonzalez, 27, was convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon on June 14 following a five-day trial. 

On Nov. 27, 2021, Gurnee officers responded to a report of shots fired in the Gurnee Mills parking lot where they found 26-year-old Jonathan Denicolas, who was being helped by a good Samaritan. Denicolas was taken to a local hospital where he died from his wounds a few hours later.

Gonzalez claimed self-defense, but the jury rejected that argument, according to Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart.

At the sentencing hearing, a Lake County judge heard evidence of two separate gun incidents that Gonzalez was involved in after the shooting, and a victim-impact statement written by the mother of the victim.  

In the statement that was read in open court, the victim's mother described him as being a playful, loving young man and said that Gonzalez took a big piece of her and her family’s lives.

Prosecutors said that Gonzalez should have especially known the dangers of a firearm since in March 2017, he was charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of aggravated unlawful use of weapon, and two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, after he accidently shot and killed his friend. Gonzalez pleaded guilty in December 2017 to one count of involuntary manslaughter.

Gonzalez must serve at least 85% of his current 32-year sentence. He received 792 days credit of time served.