Hainesville man charged in stabbing

A 40-year-old Hainesville man is charged with attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of a Round Lake Park man.

Carlos Vazquez-Estefan, of 396 W. Main St., was arrested Sunday at his home 34 minutes after the stabbing, police said.

Round Lake Park/Hainesville Police Chief George Filenko said officers were called at about 8 p.m. to investigate a disturbance on the 300 block of East Willow Drive in Round Lake Park.

At the home, they found Martin Loza, 41, with multiple stab wounds in his chest and neck.

"We're not sure what the argument was about," Filenko said.

Police would not reveal the number of stab wounds Loza suffered.

"We're just holding that back," Detective Audra Bonaroti said. "That's still part of the prosecution process."

Police officials said there were several eyewitnesses to the stabbing, but did not reveal their names or what they told police they saw.

Loza was transported to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville on Sunday and later airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he remained in critical condition Monday.

Officials said Loza and Vazquez-Estefan knew each other from work, but Bonaroti said police only knew their employment involved landscaping or construction.

Vazquez-Estefan was in Round Lake Park custody Monday awaiting a bond hearing. Lake County courts were closed due to the Columbus Day holiday.

Round Lake Park/Hainesville police said Vazquez-Estefan used several aliases, including Carlos E. Vaszquez and Carlos Vazquez.

Police said charges could be upgraded but initial reports showed Loza's injuries to be serious but not necessarily fatal.

"Right now, we're hoping that (Loza)'s going to be fine," Bonaroti said.