A man from Illinois who fatally stabbed the mother of his children just days after she was granted an order of protection against him has been sentenced to 70 years in prison.
Marco-Antonio Rubio, 29, pleaded guilty to the murder of Esmeralda DeLuna, 24, and will spend the next several decades behind bars following his sentencing in DuPage County court.
According to a press release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, the brutal crime took place on May 21, 2021, when Rubio broke into DeLuna’s Villa Park home and attacked her in front of their three children.
DeLuna, who had recently secured an order of protection against Rubio, was stabbed multiple times.
Responding officers discovered the horrifying scene when they arrived after receiving a report of a disturbance.
At approximately 9:25 p.m., Villa Park police officers knocked on the door of DeLuna’s apartment in the 300 block of N. Princeton Drive.
They immediately heard crying from inside the home.
Upon entering, officers found the couple’s three children—two girls aged between 3 and 6 and a boy about 1 year old—alongside a trail of blood leading into the kitchen.
There, they discovered DeLuna’s body, with an eight-inch butcher knife still lodged in her leg and multiple stab wounds across her torso.
DeLuna was rushed to a nearby hospital but tragically succumbed to her injuries early the following morning.
Court records reveal that DeLuna had sought protection from Rubio in the weeks leading up to her murder.
On May 7, 2021, just 10 days before the attack, she was granted an order of protection that required Rubio to vacate their shared home and prohibited him from having any contact with her.
Despite this legal measure, Rubio returned to the Villa Park residence and carried out the violent attack that claimed her life.
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Rubio fled the scene immediately after the murder, prompting a manhunt that ended the following morning when police apprehended him walking through the neighbourhood.
He was taken into custody without incident and remained in jail on a $3 million bond.
In March 2024, Rubio entered a guilty plea to one count of first-degree murder.
During his sentencing hearing, DuPage County Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh sentenced him to 70 years in prison, a term that amounts to life behind bars, as he will be required to serve 100% of his sentence without the possibility of parole.
The senseless killing of Esmeralda DeLuna has left her family and loved ones devastated.
DeLuna’s family described her death as “inhuman and cruel” in a GoFundMe campaign set up to cover funeral expenses and provide financial support for her children, who are now left without both their mother and father.
“Como todos saben, por desgracia perdimos a Esmeralda de una manera muy inhumana y cruel,” the family wrote.
“Ella fue brutalmente asesinada por el papá de sus hijos y ha dejado a su familia destrozada, así como a sus hijos.”
The fundraiser also highlighted the immense hardship facing DeLuna’s family, who are grappling with not only the emotional trauma of her loss but also the financial burden of raising four children, including arranging for DeLuna’s body to be transported to Mexico for burial.
In their heartfelt plea, the family called for “Justicia para Esmeralda,” seeking justice in her name and asking for continued support from their community during this difficult time.
In a statement following Rubio’s sentencing, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin expressed his hope that DeLuna’s family would find some comfort in knowing that Rubio will be held accountable for his actions.
“Yesterday afternoon, the children’s father, Marco Rubio, received a seventy-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections for her brutal murder,” Berlin said.
“While what essentially amounts to a life sentence behind bars cannot erase the vicious murder of a loving mother, perhaps Esmeralda’s surviving family and friends can find some measure of solace knowing justice was delivered in Esmeralda’s name.”
Berlin acknowledged the emotional toll the case had taken on everyone involved and praised the efforts of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who had worked tirelessly to secure justice for DeLuna.
“This was an extremely emotional case,” he said.
“I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Louisa Nuckolls, Kathleen Rowe, and Michael McBride for their efforts in holding Mr. Rubio accountable for his actions.”
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence affects millions of people in the U.S. each year.
Individuals experiencing domestic abuse must have access to the resources they need to stay safe.
Victims of domestic violence are encouraged to reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit their website at thehotline.org.
The hotline offers free, confidential support 24/7 and is available in over 170 languages.
