Man sentenced to 21 years in prison for shooting twin 17-year-olds, killing one
The Round Lake Beach man found guilty in March of second-degree murder and aggravated assault for shooting twin 17-year-olds, killing one, was sentenced to 21 years in prison by a Lake County judge.
Lynell Glover, 36, could have received up to 30 years in prison by Judge Mark Levitt for shooting four times at Anthony and Jonathan Awad, both of Carol Stream, during a confrontation about a stolen car along Route 12 near Volo on Jan. 3, 2021. Anthony was shot three times and died. Jonathan survived a single gunshot wound to a leg.
Levitt said during the sentencing hearing Wednesday that Glover did not have to go out that night and act as a vigilante and emphasized that property should never be valued over life.
At his trial Glover's lawyers said he shot the brothers in self-defense.
Authorities said that days before the shooting, the Awad brothers stole Glover's 2012 Chevrolet Camaro from the driveway of a family home. Glover found them parked on the side of Route 12, called 911 and told the boys to stay in the car, shooting them when they tried to flee, prosecutors said.
One of the key differences between Glover's account of what happened and the version proffered by prosecutors is who brought the handgun Glover used to shoot the twins. Glover's attorney, James Schwarzbach, said one of the twins had it when Glover drove up and Glover had to fight for control of it before using the gun to shoot the boys in self-defense.
Prosecutors argued Glover had the gun on him when he arrived and shot the twins when they began to run.
The jury deliberated the case for several days before settling on second-degree murder, a lesser charge than first-degree murder with which he was charged.
Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said after Glover was sentenced that Glover decided to take a life over his car being stolen days earlier.
"Our legal system and our common morality have always valued life over property," Rinehart said. "Mr. Glover's premeditated vigilantism was condemned by our legal system and our community."