Alejandro Fuentes

Alejandro “Jano” Fuentes was a gifted singer, actor, and teacher who had shared his talent on a national stage in his native Mexico. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, he was a performer who could not only sing and dance but also write and play music. In 2011, his powerful voice earned him a spot among the top ten finalists on the popular television show "La Voz... México," the Mexican version of "The Voice." Friends and colleagues remembered him as a true gentleman and one of the most talented people they had ever met. In 2014, seeking to share his passion with a new generation of artists, the 45-year-old Hispanic man moved to Chicago, Illinois. There, he opened his own performing arts school for young people, "Tras Bambalinas," where he lived and taught singing, dancing, acting, and modeling.

On the night of Thursday, June 16, 2016, Fuentes was out with friends celebrating his 45th birthday. Around 10:15 p.m., he was back in his neighborhood of Brighton Park on Chicago's Southwest Side, sitting in a car in the 4300 block of South Archer Avenue, very close to his school. Suddenly, an armed man approached the vehicle and ordered Fuentes to get out. When Fuentes refused to comply, the man shot him multiple times. The attacker fired three bullets into Fuentes's head before fleeing the scene.

Emergency services rushed Alejandro Fuentes to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition. Initially, there were conflicting reports about his status, but he was placed on life support. According to friends, this was done to give his family precious time to travel from Mexico to be by his side. For nearly two days, he remained on mechanical support, but the injuries were too severe. On the afternoon of Saturday, June 18, 2016, two days after the shooting, Alejandro Fuentes died from his wounds.

The Chicago Police Department launched a homicide investigation, but the case proved difficult from the start. The attacker had fled, and no suspects were immediately identified or taken into custody. The motive appeared to be a carjacking, but the senseless violence left those who knew Fuentes struggling for answers. His community was devastated, unable to comprehend who would target a man they described as having no enemies. "It's terrible for us because he didn't have any enemies, he didn't have a problem with anyone. He was a gentleman," a professional colleague, Miguel Sánchez, told reporters.

Fuentes's death was a profound loss for his students and the local arts community. Victor Gulley, a Chicago theater organizer who had worked with him, described Fuentes as a uniquely versatile artist. "He could sing, he could dance, he could write the music, play it and, most importantly of all, he could teach it," Gulley said. "I have never met anyone with so much talent in all those fields." The tragic killing occurred just a week after the murder of Christina Grimmie, a singer who had been a contestant on the American version of "The Voice," a grim coincidence that brought international attention to Fuentes's case.

Years have passed since the murder of Alejandro Fuentes, and his case remains unsolved. The Chicago Police Department has not publicly named any suspects or announced any arrests in connection with the shooting. The investigation is still considered open, but leads have grown cold. The loss is still deeply felt by his family, friends, and the many young artists he inspired both in Mexico and in his adopted home of Chicago. His dream of fostering talent at his "Tras Bambalinas" academy was cut short by a brutal act of violence that has, to this day, gone unanswered.