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LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - Two men were convicted of second-degree murder after brutally beating a Highland Park man in 2022, according to the Lake County State's Attorney.
Nicholas Caban, 23, and Jacob Firestone, 22, have been found guilty on all counts of second-degree murder after a six-day trial.
The backstory:
According to prosecutors, the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force responded to Fort Sheridan Beach in Highland Park, Ill. on Sept. 17, 2022 around 5:12 a.m., where they found Matthew Ascaridis, 45, dead due to signs of trauma. According to the Lake County Coroner's Office, the doctor who testified described Ascaridis' injuries to his spinal cord similar to injuries he has seen in car accidents.
According to Ascaridis' wife, the couple were packing for an upcoming trip around 11 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2022, when they heard loud noises near their house. She claims Matthew called police twice about the noise, but around 1 a.m., was told it would take a while for an officer to arrive. Matthew headed to the beach after speaking with an officer over the phone, his wife said.
Nicholas Caban, 23, and Jacob Firestone, 22
The Forest Preserve officer, who had spoken with Matthew over the phone, testified that when he arrived at the beach around 2:15 a.m., he didn't see or hear anything.
Police said they responded to a call about an altercation at Caban's home on Sept. 17, 2022 around 5:23 a.m. When they arrived, they say they found Firestone lying in the front yard and Caban standing nearby. Both men were injured but conscious.
According to one investigator, Caban claimed that he and Firestone had a confrontation with Ascaridis and that he had fallen on the beach.
Another investigator claimed that in the hospital, Firestone claimed Ascaridi beat both Firestone and Caban. Prosecutors claimed that Firestone's statements were inconsistent with DNA and medical evidence.
What they're saying:
After the verdict, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart stated, "While we are very satisfied that these two offenders have been found guilty of Second-Degree Murder, we continue to grieve with Matt's entire family for their devastating loss. Our office charged this case after the Major Crimes Task Force and Coroner's pathologist uncovered conclusive evidence that Matt was killed due to excessive violence from these two offenders."
What's next:
The second-degree murder charge has a maximum of 20 years in prison at 50%. The defendants' next court hearing is scheduled for June 18.
The Source: Details for this story were provided by the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.