Naman Shrestha
When Francisca Quintero was found dead inside the restroom of a Chicago-area hospital in March 2015, the entire hospital and the community were left shell-shocked. The episode titled ‘The Last Dance’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘American Monster’ chronicles the tragic killing of the mother of three and the swift investigation that followed. As the detectives delved deeper into the case, they uncovered jealousy and an alleged affair as the motive behind the perpetrator’s deadly actions.
Francisca Quintero’s Brother Had Passed a Few Hours Prior to Her Demise
Francisca Quintero-Montoya was born on January 1, 1973. While not much information regarding her early life is available, we know that she grew up in a loving household alongside her brother, Marcelo M. Quintero. She grew into a compassionate young woman who valued her family above all else. Sometime in the mid-1990s, Francisca tied the knot with Javier Bahena-Arrellano. Together, the two welcomed three kids into the world. She had a close-knit circle of people who admired her for her free-spirited, kind and helpful personality. After about 20 years of marriage, Francisca and Javier decided to go their separate ways. However, they always came together for their family.
By the time 2015 rolled around, Francisca had been living in Burlington, Wisconsin, after having separated from Javier for more than a year. Her world revolved around her kids, including Jocelyn, Francisco, and another child who reportedly lived in California at the time. Unfortunately, in March 2015, her brother, Marcelo, suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Ascension Alexian Brothers Medical Center at 800 Biesterfield Road in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Unfortunately, he couldn’t survive the complications and passed away on March 22. On the same day, as the family and friends gathered at the hospital to pay their respects to Marcelo, another tragedy struck the household.
Around noon, the family members rushed to the restroom after sensing a commotion and hearing Francisca’s screams. After somehow managing to break down the door, they found the mother of three in a critical condition. She was immediately rushed to the ICU but ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Roughly around 1:10 pm, the 42-year-old was pronounced dead. According to the autopsy reports, she was stabbed once in the chest and twice in the back, hitting her aorta and lungs. The cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds. The death of Francisca Quintero-Montoya was determined to be a homicide, and an investigation was swiftly launched.
Francisca Quintero’s Killer Went Through Her Phone Before Killing Her
Since the murder of Francisca Quintero took place at the hospital, the police had an open-and-shut case in front of them. At the time, she had been separated from her husband, Javier Bahena-Arrellano, who had also been visiting Ascension Alexian Brothers Medical Center after her brother Marcelo’s passing. According to reports, Javier had a couple of crimes in his rap sheet, involving domestic violence. Due to one of his two battery charges, he was also deported before he illegally returned to the US in 2010. While the Quintero family was grieving the loss of Marcelo, Javier reportedly took Francisca’s phone from the waiting room to his truck as he suspected that she was involved in an affair.
After going through her phone, the estranged husband got infuriated and went back inside the hospital with a screwdriver in hand. After a while, when Francisca headed to the restroom, he followed her inside and locked the door from the inside. As per the relatives in the hospital, Javier told her, “I told you what I was going to do to you,” while she pleaded, “Don’t do this, I want to see my parents,” and “Think of the children.” He then reportedly proceeded to stab Francisca multiple times, resulting in her tragic passing. When the relatives forced open the door, they allegedly saw him with the screwdriver in his hand and Francisca lying in a pool of blood. Thus, Javier was immediately arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder.
Javier Bahena-Arrellano is Currently Incarcerated at an Illinois Prison Facility
More than two years later, on April 24, 2017, Javier Bahena-Arrellano pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Francisca Quintero-Montoya, the mother of his children, in order to receive a lesser sentence. Avoiding trial, he was ultimately sentenced to 30 years in prison for his crime. During the hearing, while the killer didn’t take the stand or say anything, the judge said, “I can’t imagine her fear. Three children are left without their mother because of you. You’ll have to live with that for the rest of your days and you’ll have 30 years to think about what you did.”
Meanwhile, one of the couple’s three children, Jocelyn Bahena, took the stand and emotionally stated, “The sentencing is fair…I’m just glad this is over. Now we need time to heal.” Their son, Francisco Bahena, also shared his relief, stating, “It’s been 764 days and it’s finally over.” As of today, Javier is serving his sentence at Dixon Correctional Center in Dixon, Illinois, with his parole date scheduled for March 2045.
Read More: Anteeatta “Tee” Archie Swims Murder: Where is David Swims Now?
