Officials: Man charged in Round Lake Beach stabbing death picks up new charge after jail fight

Jesus Vargas, who has been confined to Lake County jail after being charged with murder last spring, faces new charges after officials said he started a fight with another inmate last month.

Vargas is due before a judge Thursday morning for a hearing on the new charges and the murder case, according to court records.

Lake County sheriff's Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said that on May 24 Vargas approached a 34-year-old inmate with his fists clenched and punched the man when he tried to back away from him. Covelli said the two men stopped fighting only after guards used pepper spray on them.

Officials determined Vargas was the primary aggressor, and the other inmate was not charged, Covelli said.

After the fight Vargas was relocated to the maximum security portion of the jail, where inmates with behavioral violations are placed, Covelli said.

Vargas was charged with murder on March 2, 2022, a few days after police found Brian Mahdee, 37, of Round Lake Beach, stabbed to death in the garage of a home on the 2000 block of Apache Trail.

Officials said at the time Vargas told investigators that he'd stabbed Mahdee multiple times after an argument.