Man charged with first-degree murder in Round Lake Beach stabbing

ROUND LAKE BEACH – A Grayslake man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of a man with whom he had been in a romantic relationship.

Jesus I. Vargas, 29, of Grayslake was being held at the Lake County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Brian Mahdee, 37, of Round Lake Beach, according to a news release.

About 2:59 p.m. Feb. 28, Round Lake Beach police officers were called to a home in the 2000 block of Apache Trail for a report of a stabbing, according to a news release.

When they arrived, they found a man with multiple cuts, identified as Vargas. Officers entered the garage and found Mahdee, who had suffered multiple stab wounds and had already died, police said.

On March 1, Vargas was released from Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. He was interviewed by investigators and admitted to stabbing Mahdee multiple times after an argument, police said. Vargas and Mahdee were believed to be involved in a romantic relationship.

A witness at the scene said Mahdee was unarmed and was stabbed multiple times. After the stabbing, a witness observed Vargas cut himself multiple times, police said.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy March 1 that indicated Mahdee died from multiple sharp force injuries.