WAUKEGAN, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The murder trial of the Highland Park parade shooting suspect will move ahead after Robert Crimo III rejected a plea deal Wednesday morning.
The 23-year-old was sitting in a wheelchair and mostly silent until he said no to the deal, which would have had him spend the rest of his life in prison in exchange for pleading guilty to 55 charges.
Several of the survivors and relatives of victims, who filled the Waukegan courtroom, had shocked looks on their faces after the move that followed a brief recess. Others, though, said they were not surprised that the man accused of killing seven people and wounding 48 others would take another chance to torment them.
Leah Sundheim said afterward that all she wanted was a chance to mourn her mother Jacquelyn, who was killed at the parade.
“Knowing that he was going to spend the rest of his life in jail, and instead, we were yet again shown his complete and blatant disregard for humans, for anyone, for all of us,” Leah Sundheim said.
Ashbey Beasley was at the July 4 parade with her son and left court feeling angry, frustrated and heartbroken.
She said she thinks this is a game to Crimo, who she described as wanting to create more chaos.
Karina Mendez said the build up to seeing the man who killed Eduardo Uvaldo, her father, has been really stressful — but she and other relatives of Uvaldo have pledged to be patient.
“I knew that could happen,” Mendez said. “I was hoping for the best that it wouldn’t happen, but I know he’s been playing a lot of games.”
Attorney Josh Koshkoff, who’s representing Uvaldo’s family, said he came to the US at age 15 to build a better life. He was 69 years old when he was killed.
“This man, who was living the American dream, he died the American nightmare,” Koshkoff said. “This family, I’m so proud of them. They have so much patience.”
Another attorney Tony Romanucci, who’s representing several victims in a civil suit against Crimo, said the 23-year-old took a calculated glance backward before rejecting the plea.
“He wasn’t looking at his family,” Romanucci said. “He was looking to see who was there to observe him. He knew that he had an audience, and he knew that he was pulling its strings.”
In a brief statement, State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said his team will continue to be there for the victims and will be ready for the trial in February.
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