Pair found guilty of second-degree murder in slaying on Fort Sheridan Beach

A pair of Lake County men face up to 20 years in prison after jurors convicted them Saturday of second-degree murder charges stemming from a fatal 2022 beating on Fort Sheridan Beach near Highland Park.

Nicholas Caban, 23, and Jacob Firestone, 22, both of Highland Park, were found guilty after a six-day trial in which witnesses detailed the confrontation that led to the death of 45-year-old Matthew Ascaridis and its aftermath.

Among the witnesses was Ascaridis’ wife, who authorities said testified that the couple were packing for an upcoming trip at about 11 p.m. Sept. 16, 2022, when they heard loud noises near their Highland Park home. Matthew Ascaridis called police twice to report the disturbance but was told it could take some time for an officer to arrive, authorities said.

Authorities said Ascaridis headed to the nearby beach to speak with the people being loud there at about 1 a.m., when the confrontation with Caban and Firestone occurred.

Ascaridis was found dead later that morning by police who were called about a body found near the Lake Michigan shore, officials said.

Dr. Eimad Zakariya of the Lake County coroner’s office testified that Ascaridis suffered catastrophic injuries to the spinal cord and compared them to what he’s seen in car accidents, according to prosecutors.

A short time after police found Ascaridis’ body, officers responded to a 911 call from Caban’s home, where they found the defendants outside the residence with injuries. The defendants told investigators that Ascaridis had attacked them and he fell and injured himself during the confrontation, officials said, but prosecutors argued those claims were inconsistent with medical testimony and DNA evidence recovered from the scene.

“While we are very satisfied that these two offenders have been found guilty of Second-Degree Murder, we continue to grieve with Matt's entire family for their devastating loss,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a written statement Sunday. “Our office charged this case after the Major Crimes Task Force and Coroner's pathologist uncovered conclusive evidence that Matt was killed due to excessive violence from these two offenders.”

Firestone and Caban are scheduled to return to court June 18. They face between four and 20 years in prison when sentenced.