Former Wheeling man found guilty of 2nd-degree murder

Finding some truth in his self-defense claims, a Cook County jury found Alfredo Hernandez guilty of second-degree murder Friday for killing his friend six years ago.

The 12-member panel deliberated for five hours before arriving at the verdict, which carries a prison sentence of between four and 20 years. Sentencing will be May 5.

The lesser offense of second-degree murder meant the jury found Hernandez, 32, acted under a strong provocation or with an unreasonable belief his life was in danger.

Hernandez broke down in tears from the witness stand earlier Friday as he told a Rolling Meadows courtroom he felt "very bad" for killing 23-year-old Juan Carlos Cardoso outside his Wheeling apartment complex at 291 Ninth St. in Wheeling.

As they had many times before, the two men had spent much of April 14, 2002, hanging out and drinking beer.

The two horsed around, playfully hitting and kicking one another. But something happened to escalate the interplay to a full-blown brawl.

"Things got out of control," said Hernandez.

He said he and a friend walked away, but that Cardoso wanted to continue fighting, following in his van and trying to initiate another fistfight along Milwaukee Avenue.

According to Hernandez, Cardoso said he was going to find him later at his apartment and bring some of his "gang friends."

Hernandez claimed Cardoso hung out with gang members, though he wasn't sure if Cardoso himself was in a gang.

An hour later, Cardoso and a friend - admitted gang member Roberto Flores Bahena - showed up at Hernandez's apartment. Cardoso threw rocks at the window and yelled for him to come down and fight.

Afraid the two would try to get into the apartment, Hernandez grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen counter and headed outside, he testified.

"I was scared," he said. "I thought he was going to bring a weapon."

Hernandez said he raised the knife when an unarmed Cardoso came at him with a closed fist. The single stab wound to Cardoso's abdomen pierced his liver, lung and heart. He died six days later at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

Hernandez was long gone by then, having fled to Mexico, where he lived for five years before authorities tracked him down and extradited him last year.