Waukegan man guilty of killing friend at hotel
A Lake County jury found a Waukegan man guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder for stabbing a friend to death at a Waukegan hotel room in the summer of 2013.
Kevin Curtis, 29, now faces between 20 and 60 years in prison when he is sentenced. He is due back in court March 17 for a status hearing, Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Dan Kleinhubert said.
Curtis testified at trial last week that he accidentally stabbed Jacob Blum, 19, while play wrestling in the hotel room July 16, 2013.
Blum stumbled from the room to the lobby of the hotel, where authorities were called. Blum identified Curtis as his attacker before being taken to Vista West Medical Center in Waukegan, where he later died from his injuries, authorities said.
Jurors spent about 19 hours deliberating before issuing their decision just before 5 p.m. Wednesday. Curtis was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, but jurors only reached a guilty verdict on one.
Curtis has been held in Lake County jail in lieu of $5 million bail since his 2013 arrest.