Man who fatally stabbed Des Plaines musician gets 9 years
A Chicago man pleaded guilty in the stabbing death of beloved Des Plaines musician Jeffrey "Wookie" Ziolo, the former sound engineer at Ye Olde Town Inn in Mount Prospect.
Craig Grzesiakowski, 37, was sentenced to nine years in prison last week in exchange for his guilty plea to an amended charge of second-degree murder in the death of Ziolo, 35, who authorities say was Grzesiakowski's longtime friend. Court records show Grzesiakowski was ordered to undergo drug and alcohol evaluation as part of his plea agreement.
Police said Grzesiakowski stabbed Ziolo, the bass player with the Chicago-area heavy metal band Final Dissent, with a screwdriver at Ziolo's Beau Drive home in June 2017. According to police, Ziolo's roommate called 911 after he woke up and found an intoxicated Grzesiakowski passed out on the living room floor next to the unresponsive Ziolo, who was covered in blood.
Speaking with the Daily Herald after Ziolo's death, Final Dissent founder Rob Saviano described his fellow band member as "the ultimate team player" who had a "heart of gold."
According to Saviano, he and other band members were playing music in Ziolo's basement recording studio during the evening and early morning hours before Ziolo's death. He said Grzesiakowski, whom band members had not met previously, was at the house, hanging out and listening to the practice session.
Band members told police Ziolo and Grzesiakowski argued, but they said they witnessed nothing physical.