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Chicago Man Freed After Judge Dismisses 1995 Double-Murder Conviction

"I want to spend some time with my daughter, quality time with my family and eat some Puerto Rican food!" Almodovar said

A man whose conviction in a double murder case was based on suspect evidence has been released from prison after more than 20 years.

Roberto Almodovar walked out of a Chicago jail Friday afternoon.

"It feels great, wonderful to see my daughter, my family, my friends," Almodovar said. "It means a lot. It means a whole lot."

Almodovar was released hours after a Cook County judge dismissed the charges against him and his co-defendant, William Negron, who remains imprisoned on another murder conviction. The two men were convicted in the 1994 shooting deaths of Amy Merkes and Jorge Rodriguez.

State's Attorney Kim Foxx agreed to drop the case against Almodovar earlier this week. 

The two were convicted with evidence gathered by now-retired Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara. He's since been accused of coercing witnesses, and a state appellate court ruled Almodovar's case deserved closer scrutiny.

Almodovar returned home with his family at the Chicago residence where he grew up and where he was arrested in 1994.

"Now? Right now I want to spend some time with my daughter, quality time with my family and eat some Puerto Rican food!" Almodovar said.

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