Prosecutor: Beach Park man beat wife, stepson to death with baseball bat

A Beach Park man is being held in Lake County jail on $5 million bail after, authorities say, he used an aluminum bat to bludgeon his wife and her son to death during an argument.

Armondo Trejo Jr., 47, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery in the attack on his wife, Lailani Uy Trejo, 43, and stepson, Patrick K. Cruz Uy, 14, Lake County Judge Christen Bishop said Monday.

A third victim - Trejo's 68-year-old mother - was also hit with the bat during the attack at 2:45 a.m. Sunday, officials said.

Assistant State's Attorney Joe Zeit said emergency dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call from Lailani Uy Trejo saying she "needs police" and that "she was dying and she was bleeding."

Dispatchers then heard several "ping" sounds over the telephone, which officials later learned was the aluminum bat striking the victim, Zeit said. The line was disconnected soon after dispatchers heard the sounds, Zeit said.

Dispatchers called back, and a male answered the phone and claimed his younger son had dialed the number accidentally, Zeit said.

Sheriff's deputies arrived at the home in the 10200 block of West Bairstow Avenue a short time later and spotted Trejo outside of the residence, officials said.

While officers spoke with Trejo, his injured mother came outside and allowed officers into the house, Zeit said.

Inside, officers saw Trejo's wife and stepson dead and an "extensive amount of blood" on the floor and walls, Zeit said.

Trejo admitted he bludgeoned the wife with the bat after an argument, Zeit said. His mother tried to intervene and was hit in the arm, Zeit said.

After Trejo's mother was struck, his stepson tried to stop the attack and he was beaten with the bat, Zeit said.

Lake County Sheriff's Det. Christopher Covelli said the two deceased victims were hit multiple times with the bat. It's unknown how many times the Trejo's mother was hit, he said.

Covelli said Trejo's father was also in the house during the attack. However, he said the father was not injured or involved in the attack.

Zeit said Trejo faces a life sentence in prison due to the "amount of blood and extreme disregard for life" in the attack.

Trejo is due back in court Dec. 22 for a preliminary hearing. He was assigned a public defender.