A man has been charged with the killing of his next-door neighbor, who was found fatally shot in the driveway of his Antioch-area home earlier this month.
Ettore Lacchei, 79, of the 40700 block of North Black Oak Avenue, was arrested Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of William Martys, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.
Lacchei, authorities say, approached Martys, 59, as Martys was using a leaf blower on the evening of April 12. The pair argued, and Lacchei shot his neighbor in the head, police said.
Police said Lacchei had “various perceived grievances” with Martys. Police said they recovered a pistol near Lacchei’s property line on the night of the shooting.
Officer served a search warrant Tuesday and took Lacchei into custody without incident, police said. The Lake County state’s attorney’s office authorized two counts of first-degree murder against Lacchei.
“The members of our Criminal Investigations Division have been working around the clock to bring Mr. Martys’ murderer to justice, and I am happy Mr. Martys’ family can begin the closure and healing process,” Sheriff John Idleburg said in a release.
State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said, “Once again, easy access to firearms has turned a dispute into a deadly crime. We will support the victims and seek justice in the court rooms.”