Forest Park Review, September 15, 2021
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Man accused of 2017 Forest Park murder faces new charges Nestor Soto, accused of fatally stabbing brother, hit with attempted murder rap By BOB UPHUES Senior Editor
A man who was free on bond while awaiting trial for allegedly stabbing his brother to death inside a Forest Park home in 2017 is now being held at Cook County Jail without bond after he was charged with attempted murder for brutally slashing a friend with a knife during the early morning hours of Sept. 7 in Chicago. Nestor Soto, 42, was ordered jailed by Judge Arthur Willis during a bond hearing held via Zoom on Sept. 9 after the judge determined no bail amount would be enough to prevent Soto from being a danger to the community. In September 2017, Soto allegedly stabbed his brother, 25-year-old Ivens Soto, to death after a night of drinking. Soto claimed that he woke up the next morning and found his brother dead, but he denied killing him. Police reported they found no signs of forced entry to Soto’s home in the 7700 block of Adams Street, which was for sale at the time due to the breakup of Soto’s marriage. A chef by profession, Nestor Soto called 911 to report his brother’s death and police said they arrived to find his clothing covered in
legedly murdering his brother. dried blood. At some point, Soto asked his friend what Soto was able to post the $25,000 cash bond set by a judge in 2017. He has remained free he thought of that case, and the victim allegedly told Soto he didn’t believe he was inon electronic monitoring since that time. At Soto’s bond hearing on Sept. 9, prosecu- nocent. Soto then allegedly looked his friend tor Lorraine Scaduto told Willis that Soto directly in the eyes before getting up and “is clearly a danger. He’s been charged twice walking behind the victim to where Soto kept a row of knives for work. with using a knife against an Soto then allegedly took one individual. The first victim is of the knives and slashed the dead and the victim in this case victim under the chin before was seriously injured.” swinging the knife around the According to the bond profvictim’s neck from back to fer read by Scaduto, the victim front. The victim then turned was a longtime friend of Soto’s, around and put his hands up, a carpenter who was employed said Scaduto, but Soto continat a new restaurant at 4929 W. ued swinging the knife at the Irving Park Road in Chicago, victim, causing further injuwhere Soto worked as a cook. Soto also reportedly lived above ries. NESTER SOTO the restaurant space. The victim was able to push The victim reportedly told inSoto down and fled out a back vestigators that he’d gone to visdoor, falling down a flight of it Soto at his residence on Sept. 6 in order to stairs and running into the street where a “lift his spirits” because he’d lost his job and Chicago police squad car was passing by. because his wife and children had left him. The victim flagged down the officer, who The two drank beer from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. rendered life-saving first aid until an ambuthe next morning, according to Scaduto, lance arrived to take him to a hospital for talking about various subjects, including treatment. God and about Soto’s impending trial for alWhile the victim will recover from the at-
tack, said Scaduto, “he will be scarred for the rest of his life. The victim thought he was going to die.” The victim was able to tell police the name and address of his attacker, who police arrested. In addition to attempted murder, Soto was charged with aggravated battery. Soto’s attorney, Steven Fine, said that the judge was getting just one side of the story and argued that it was the alleged victim who attacked Soto, pointing to cuts on Soto’s hands and arms. “His friend became drunk, irrational and physically abusive,” Fine told the judge. “The victim conveniently neglects to say he held the knife in his hand.” Willis stated Soto’s injuries were described in the police report, but he also noted that Soto refused treatment for those injuries. “We don’t know where those injuries came from,” Willis said before ordering Soto held without bond. The case will be heard at the Skokie courthouse, and Soto will be in court there on Sept. 17. In the meantime, he is due in court at the Maybrook courthouse on Sept. 10 for a hearing regarding the 2017 Forest Park case.
Man shot in leg during carjacking on Elgin Avenue Gunman reportedly fired when victim did not hand over keys immediately By BOB UPHUES Senior Editor
A man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg during a carjacking in broad daylight on Sept. 12 in the 1200 block of Elgin Avenue after he reportedly hesitated in complying with the offender’s demand for his car keys. The victim’s wound was non-life threatening and he was reported to be in stable condition at Loyola University Medical Center, according to Forest Park police. According to a press release issued by Forest Park police, the victim parked his vehicle in the 1200 block of Elgin Avenue just before 3 p.m. and was walking to a nearby business with his teenage child.
They were approached by a man armed with a handgun who demanded the victim’s car keys. When the victim didn’t immediately turn them over, the offender fired a shot at the victim, striking him the leg. The offender then took the keys from the victim and drove away in that vehicle southbound on Elgin Avenue. Police described the offender as a black man, approximately 6 feet tall, wearing a sleeveless black hooded sweatshirt with red trim on the hood, thighlength black shorts and a ski mask. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the police department’s criminal investigations division at 708-3662425 or email to All-PDDetectives@ForestPark.net.
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