Teen pleads not guilty to fatal shooting near Grayslake
A 19-year-old Waukegan man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to three counts of first-degree murder stemming from a fatal shooting near Grayslake in October.
Jasperin F. Melendez, of the 1100 block of West Grove Avenue, faces 45 years to life in prison if found guilty of the most serious charge, Lake County Judge Mark L. Levitt said.
A trial date has not yet been set at the request of defense attorney Lawrence Wade.
"We have not decided what type of defense we will offer as of yet," Wade said after Melendez's arraignment. "We are still investigating the case."
The charges stem from a shooting at about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 21 in the 33300 block of Lone Rock Road, just east of Gages Lake and north of Route 120 in an unincorporated area near Grayslake.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies responding to reports of shots fired found 30-year-old Fabian J. Cortez-Milan of Zion shot and critically injured. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said the shooting occurred about the time of a gathering at single-family home nearby.
Melendez was arrested Oct. 23 at a fast-food restaurant drive-through in Milwaukee, authorities said. He was extradited back to Lake County from Wisconsin later that week.
Melendez remains held in Lake County jail on $5 million bail. He is due back in court Dec. 19.