Elgin man sentenced to 39 years in prison for 2017 fatal stabbing

An Elgin man has been sentenced to 39 years in prison for a 2017 fatal stabbing.

In March, a Kane County jury found Carlos F. Lopez, 31, of the zero to 100 block of Birch Street, Elgin, guilty of first-degree murder in the August 2017 stabbing death of 36-year-old Bayron Cruz-Garcia of Elgin.

During the trial, Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Joseph Cullen and Christine Bayer presented evidence that Carlos Lopez recruited and paid co-defendants Gabriel Lopez and Michael Giacomino to beat up Cruz-Garcia. Carlos Lopez believed that the victim was having an affair with his former girlfriend.

At 1:10 a.m. Aug. 12, 2017, the three men drove to the victim’s work place in Elgin, where they laid in wait for 58 minutes until the victim left the building. Carlos Lopez and his two accomplices each then punched and kicked the victim multiple times with enough force to leave a shoeprint-shaped contusion on his forehead, according to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office.

During the attack, Carlos Lopez used a knife to stab and slash the victim 19 times. The defendants fled. Several minutes later, Elgin police officers arrived and attempted to render aid to Cruz-Garcia, but due to the severity of his injuries, he died while an Elgin officer was performing CPR on him at the crime scene, the release stated.

Last August, Gabriel Lopez pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and is serving a 25-year prison sentence. Giacomino is charged with first-degree murder and other offenses. His case is pending and his next court appearance is set for June 25.

"I hope this sentence provides some justice for Bayron Cruz-Garcia's family," Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said in the release. Mr. Lopez's premeditated murder was violent and cold-blooded, and the worst possible ending to a domestic violence case."