Hoffman Estates man pleads not guilty to murder charges

A Hoffman Estates man pleaded not guilty Friday to killing his neighbor with a medieval dagger.

Joseph Biedermann, 29, was officially indicted on two counts of first degree murder in the March 5 death of 38-year-old Terrance Hauser Jr. The two lived in the Barrington Lakes apartment complex.

Attorneys for Biedermann entered the not guilty plea before Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta.

"This is a false charge, and we are looking forward to going to trial," Darryl Goldberg, one of Biedermann's lawyers, said after a brief hearing.

Biedermann is currently being held on $1 million bond, but another of Biedermann's attorneys, Ralph Meczyk, said they plan to file a motion asking for a reduced bail.

According to authorities, Biedermann stabbed Hauser 58 times either inside or just outside his apartment on the 2200 block of Hassell Road.

Prosecutors said Anna Oleszkiewicz, who lives with Biedermann, called 911 just before 4 a.m. March 5 and reported her boyfriend had been stabbed.

Authorities said Oleszkiewicz told them that as she drove Biedermann to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, he started to cry and said he stabbed somebody once in the stomach and once in the neck.

After Hoffman Estates police talked to Oleszkiewicz at the hospital, they went to the apartment complex and discovered blood in the parking lot.

They followed the blood trail to Hauser's apartment, where they said they entered an unlocked front door covered in blood. Police found the bloodied victim on the floor, unresponsive.

The murder weapon, a 7-inch medieval-style dagger, was found at Hauser's apartment, authorities said.

Police said the blood trail continued to Biedermann's apartment in a neighboring building.

Biedermann is next scheduled to appear in court April 11.