McHenry Co. man pleads not guilty to fork slaying

A McHenry County man formally pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he stabbed a teenage friend to death with a fork during an altercation last month.

Victor Bandala-Martinez, 20, asked for a jury trial on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery stemming from the Dec. 14 incident in McHenry.

Bandala-Martinez, of McHenry, stabbed high school student Yair Cabrera, 17, at least two times with a fork during their altercation at a house party in the 1300 block of Front Street, according to a criminal complaint filed one day after the slaying.

Police responding to a call for help found Cabrera, a sophomore at McHenry High School's East Campus, inside the residence bleeding from his injuries. He was transported to Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry and pronounced dead a short time later.

Investigators said they were unsure of what caused the altercation between the friends but did not believe the incident was gang-related.

Bandala-Martinez has been in custody at the McHenry County jail on $1.5 million bail since his arrest shortly after the fatal stabbing. He is scheduled to return to court Jan. 23 for a pretrial status hearing.