Illinois man sentenced for 2011 murder of friend's parents

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) - A suburban Chicago man accused of plotting with a friend to kill the friend's parents pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder charges and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Ehab Qasem entered the guilty plea before Cook County Circuit Judge Neil J. Linehan.

Qasem, 25, of Hickory Hills was accused of plotting in 2011 with John Granat Jr. of Palos Heights, Christopher Wyma of Bridgeview and Mohammaed Salahat of Chicago Ridge to kill Granat's parents, John Granat Sr. and Maria Granat. Granat, Salahat and Wyma were 17 at the time; Qasem was 19.

Granat Jr. was charged days after the murders when his alibi fell apart.

According to authorities, the three came over and as Salahat stayed in the car, Granat let Wyma and Qasem in the house and handed them baseball bats. Armed with the bats, the two, along with Granat, sneaked upstairs and into the couple's bedroom. There, standing on each side of the bed, they began hitting the couple.

In the days after the killings, Granat's friends continued to attend high school before being arrested and charged.

At the time of their arrest, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said the four conspired over the course of months to come up with a plan to kill John Granat's parents and take their money.

After their arrest, Qasem, Salahat and Wyma led investigators to where they hid two baseball bats and a knife. They also recovered bloody clothing and about $21,000 of the $35,000 authorities said they made off with after the killings.

Salahat entered a guilty plea to murder last year and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at the Lawrence Correctional Center.

Granat and Wyma are being held at the Cook County Jail as they await trial.

Qasem will receive credit for 1,613 days served in Cook County Jail. He began serving his sentence Wednesday at the Stateville Correctional Center.