“80-Year-Old Charged with Fatal Shooting of Neighbor Deemed Unfit for Trial”

An octogenarian resident of Antioch, Ettore Lacchei, has been declared unfit to stand trial after being charged with the fatal shooting of his neighbor during a dispute over the use of a leaf blower. The ruling was made by Lake County Judge Paul Novak on Tuesday. As a result, Lacchei has been ordered to undergo in-patient treatment under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The treatment is expected to last up to a year, with regular reports from the treatment provider updating on the progress of his rehabilitation.

The charges against Lacchei stem from an incident that took place on April 12 in unincorporated Antioch. Emergency medical services were already present at the scene attempting to save the victim’s life when sheriff’s deputies arrived. The victim, identified as 59-year-old William Martys, was later pronounced dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. A subsequent investigation revealed that Martys had sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

According to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli, detectives determined that Lacchei, who lived next door to Martys, had various grievances with the victim. The fatal altercation occurred when Martys was using a leaf blower in his yard and Lacchei confronted him. An argument ensued, during which Lacchei shot Martys in the head. During an initial bond hearing, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam emphasized that the murder appeared to be without provocation and solely related to the dispute over the leaf blower.

Lacchei initially denied any involvement in the incident, stating that he had not left his house that day and had never interacted with Martys. However, witnesses reported seeing Lacchei and Martys engaged in an argument at the time of the shooting. Moreover, Lacchei was known to regularly carry a firearm while walking along the street. Investigators discovered a .25 caliber casing at the crime scene and subsequently found a gun case in Lacchei’s home during a search warrant. The search led to the recovery of a .25 caliber firearm near Lacchei’s property line, as well as a box of .25 caliber ammunition in his yard.

Lacchei was arrested without incident at his residence following the execution of the search warrant. During a bond hearing, Facklam highlighted that Lacchei possessed a significant amount of cash and had plans to sell his home and relocate to Italy prior to the murder. As a result, Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak denied Lacchei bail, considering him a potential flight risk. A grand jury subsequently indicted Lacchei on three counts of first-degree murder, to which he pleaded not guilty during an arraignment hearing.

Lacchei’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 12, where his fitness for trial will be reviewed.