Des Plaines man ordered held without bail on attempted murder charge in knife attack
A Des Plaines man was ordered held without bail Saturday on a charge of attempted murder in a stabbing at a long-term residence hotel where he was living.
Jeremy A. Starling, 32, was charged after a situation reported Thursday at the Rand Manor Motel, 1322 Rand Road.
Police said a caller contacted authorities and requested an ambulance because a man identified as Ignacio Zepeda, 41, of Des Plaines, was bleeding heavily after being stabbed in the head, face, and arm.
According to information presented Saturday in Cook County circuit court, Zepeda was cleaning the parking lot about 9:47 a.m. when Starling mumbled something to him before going into his room and emerging with knife.
Starling lunged at Zepeda as he walked backward stabbing him five times in the cheek, arm, neck, upper shoulder and back of the head. The attack in large part was unprovoked, according to police.
The motel manager called authorities. Zepeda was treated by firefighters at the scene and taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
He was kept overnight and released the next day receiving an undisclosed number of stitches for the stab wounds to the body and staples for those on the back of his head, according to information presented in court.
Before police arrived, Starling returned to his room and closed the door, according to a news release.
Police said they contacted Starling a short time later by phone and he was taken into custody after coming out of the room.
Police using a search warrant found a switch blade under the bed in Starling's room. The stabbing was recorded on surveillance video, although Zepeda didn't identify Starling in a photo array, according to the court proceeding.
The prosecution in arguing for no bail said Starling since 2011 had served time for armed robbery, aggravated assault and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, showing a pattern of violence.
A defense attorney said Starling had severe mental health issues.
His next court date is set for March 8 at Cook County branch court in Rolling Meadows.