Alejandro Cota, who was charged in the horrific post-Christmas stabbing deaths of a mother and her 13-year-old son in Geneva in 2024, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of first-degree murder and accepted a life sentence in prison, officials announced in a news release.

Circuit Court Judge Julia Yetter accepted the plea.

Cota, 52, was charged with killing his girlfriend, Christina Chavira, 47, and her son, Damian Chavira, at their home on Emma’s Way, on Dec. 26, 2024, records show.

The boy suffered 37 stab wounds, including several that penetrated his skull and one that severed his spinal cord, a prosecutor had said during Cota’s January 2025 court appearance.

After police responded to a 911 call at about 8 p.m., they found the mother and son unresponsive, both with stab wounds, the release stated. Christina Chavira was treated on site and taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, where she was pronounced dead.

Damian was flown to Loyola University Medical Center, but he was also pronounced dead there as well, the release stated.

Cota later surrendered to Geneva police and has been in custody in the jail since December 2024.

“This defendant committed a brutal and senseless act of violence that took the lives of a mother and her young son, leaving an indelible mark on their loved ones and our community,” State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser stated in the release. “With this verdict, we achieve a measure of justice for the victims and their family, and we hold the accused accountable for these horrific crimes.”

As to a sentence of natural life for Cota, Mosser stated, “this is precisely the kind of case for which the death penalty should exist.”

“Even a sentence of natural life imprisonment seems inadequate when measured against the innocent lives that were taken,” Mosser stated in the release.

Mosser also thanked Geneva police “especially Detective Matthew Hann, who pursued this investigation relentlessly,” according to the release.

Mosser also thanked St. Charles and Batavia police departments in the release, as well as the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, the Geneva Fire Department, Geneva Emergency Management and the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force for their work on the initial response and investigation.

She also thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Robert Dore and Kathryn Wuerstl, and Victim Advocate Martha Martinez for their dedication to this case.

Geneva Police Chief Eric Passarelli stated in the release: “The defendant in this case committed acts of unspeakable and brutal violence against a mother and her young son.”

“These crimes devastated their loved ones and shook our community to the core. This senseless violence will never be forgotten,” Passarelli stated in the release. “While life is forever changed for their loved ones, I hope that the verdict holding the defendant accountable for his heinous crimes brings them a sense of justice.”

Passarelli also thanked prosecutors and all the responding agencies that assisted: St. Charles and Batavia police, sheriff’s deputies, Geneva Fire Department, Tri-City Ambulance, Geneva Emergency Management Agency and the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force.

“These partnerships are crucial to serving the residents of our community and Kane County as a whole,” Passarelli stated in the release. “Thank you to Detective Hann, and all members of the Geneva Police Department, for their dedication and advocacy for the victims of these unimaginable crimes.”