Man Packing For A Family Trip Killed After He Stepped Out To Check Noise Outside Home

Two assailants from Illinois murdered a Fort Sheridan resident when he stepped out of his home to check noises outside. The suspects, Nicholas Caban and Jacob Firestone, faced a six-week-long second-degree murder trial following the incident, which took place in 2022.

The verdict was delivered on April 18, after prosecutors called several witnesses to testify. Eric Rinehart emphasized that the victim was left to die after suffering extreme violence at the hands of the perpetrators.

A prosecutor’s office said in a news release that Nicholas Caban and Jacob Firestone carried out the killing. The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force had already been aware of several noise complaints in the neighborhood. When police arrived at the scene, they found the 45-year-old victim, Matthew Ascaridis, dead.

An autopsy later revealed that the victim died after suffering a severe spinal injury. Such injuries are most commonly seen in car crashes. According to the coroner, Ascaridis was struck multiple times in the head. The force was so severe that it caused a fatal spinal laceration.

The victim’s wife said the family was packing for a trip when they began hearing loud noises near their home. Ascaridis tried calling police twice but was told a response would be delayed. He then decided to check the situation himself and stepped out of his home toward the beach at around 1 a.m.

When Matthew Ascaridis encountered the two suspects on the beach, a violent confrontation ensued. Despite the severity of the attack, neither Jacob Firestone nor Nicholas Caban sought help. They waited hours before dialing 911, during which Ascaridis succumbed to his injuries.

When police later arrived at Caban’s home, they found him and Firestone injured in the yard. They were wounded but conscious at the time and shifted blame to the victim, claiming he had attacked them first. The suspects also alleged that the father of two died after he fell while trying to attack them.

Prosecutors have challenged those claims with medical evidence and DNA samples collected at the crime scene. Witness testimony revealed that the confrontation began after Matthew Ascaridis confronted them over loud music and activity on the beach.

During the trial, it was noted that both Nicholas Caban and Jacob Firestone were 18 and 20 years old at the time of the killing. Both have now been sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 20 years and are required to serve 50% of their sentences.

The two suspects are scheduled to make their next court hearing on June 18, where their sentencing will be heard before the jury. Meanwhile, the grieving family of Ascaridis has opened a GoFundMe page, remembering the kind of man he was. His wife and kids described him as an incredible husband and devoted father. He was known as a man who ‘always greeted friends and family with his warmth and a smile’.