Trial set to begin in Lake Villa kidnapping, home invasion
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Opening statements are expected Tuesday in the trial of a former Antioch man charged in a 2010 kidnapping and home invasion in Lake Villa.
Miguel Rico, formerly of the 1100 block of McKenzie Road, is on trial on charges of aggravated home invasion, aggravated kidnapping and armed violence charges in connection with the break-in on the 800 block of Longwood Drive in September 2010.
Lake County circuit court Judge Daniel Shanes had pushed for opening statements to begin Monday, but delays in choosing a jury pushed back the start time.
Rico, now 20, sat stoically throughout the process as jury members were interviewed and chosen before him.
Police said Rico, now 20, entered the Lake Villa home and was stealing property through an open garage door Sept. 1 when the 20-year-old resident of the home arrived.
Rico pointed a gun at the victim, bound him with duct tape and zip ties, then fled with the stolen property in the victim's Mitsubishi Eclipse, police said. The car was found abandoned and torched a few miles from the residence, police said.
About a week later, police said, Rico entered a different home — this time in Antioch Township — brandishing a knife. Inside the home, Rico tied up a man and a woman with duct tape before sexually assaulting a teenager, police said. He then loaded the victim's Nissan Altima with stolen items and fled, police said.
Rico was arrested in Round Lake Beach a day later when a resident on the 1300 block of Longwood Drive saw the Altima parked in front of an abandoned house and recognized it from media reports.
Police investigating the Antioch Township case said Rico was using the abandoned home to store stolen goods from his robberies. Items found there were linked to the Lake Villa robbery, police said.
Rico was found guilty in May of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated home invasion and aggravated armed violence for the Antioch Township attack. Prosecutors said they had to drop the aggravated sexual assault charge because the victim was unable to testify.
Rico is serving 30 years for the Antioch Township home invasion.
