The accused killer in the Highland Park 4th of July mass shooting made a surprise reversal Wednesday and refused to go along with the guilty plea his attorneys had worked out, disappointing victims and families who hope to see him locked away for life.
Prosecutors said Robert Crimo III had agreed to plead guilty to seven counts of murder, one for each fatality, and 48 counts of aggravated battery, one for each victim who was injured but survived the 2022 shooting.
Under the plea deal, Crimo would have received a sentence of life in prison, plus 30 years concurrently for each aggravated battery count.
But when Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti asked the defendant if he agreed with the deal, he turned his head to the side, apparently looking at the crowd in court behind him, and said nothing.
His attorneys, assistant public defenders Gregory Ticsay and Anton Trizna, asked for a recess to speak with their client. When they came back to court and the judge asked if Crimo agreed to the plea, he said “no.”
Crimo appeared in court for the first time in a wheelchair. The Lake County sheriff’s office supplied the wheelchair, spokesman Christopher Covelli said, because Crimo “informed our correctional staff that he was nervous and was unsure if he would be uneasy on his feet.”
Deputies used a wheelchair, Covelli said, “to ensure he was present for his hearing.”
Crimo is accused of climbing to the top of a store in downtown Highland Park during the parade, and opening fire with a high-powered rifle on the crowd. He wore a disguise to escape in the crowd and drove away, but was arrested while driving about eight hours later by a North Chicago police officer.
Crimo’s motive remains unclear, though a search warrant stated that he wanted to “wake people up,” authorities said.
The reversal came as a surprise to the packed courtroom in Waukegan, which holds about 110 people.
Victims and their families said they were disappointed by the turn of events, but not necessarily surprised.
“We came to court today in hopes that we could put this out of our minds,” said Leah Sundheim, whose mother, Jacquelyn “Jacki” Sundheim, was killed in the attack. “We have the 4th of July coming up and it will be two years, and all I wanted was to be able to fully grieve my mom without the looming trial, knowing that he was going to spend the rest of his life in jail.
“And instead, we were yet again shown his complete and blatant disregard for humans, for anyone, for all of us in that courtroom,” she said. “I don’t know what more proof we could have that he is evil, and manipulative, and brought us here today probably knowing what he was going to do.”
These are the victims of the Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park
Karina Mendez, daughter of Eduardo Uvaldo, who was killed in the shooting, said she was hoping for closure, but knew this could happen.
“My dad was somebody who always said, ‘If we did something, we should say we did it and be accountable for what we do,’” she said. “I know he’s up there looking at us now and telling us to just be patient.”
An attorney for Uvaldo’s family, John Koskoff, said their father had come to the United States from Mexico at age 15 and left his family as his legacy.
“This man, who lived the American Dream; he died the American nightmare,” Koskoff said.
State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart took no questions but said his office met with the victims and survivors in the courtroom immediately after the hearing to discuss what had happened.
“We will continue to support them and be ready for trial,” he said.
The next court date for the case was set for August. The trial remained scheduled for Feb. 24, 2025.
This was not the first time Crimo changed his mind about the case. He previously dismissed his attorneys saying he was going to represent himself, but then asked that they again represent him.
Last year, Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., pleaded guilty to reckless conduct for signing paperwork that allowed his son to get a state firearm owner’s identification card. Prosecutors said he knew his son represented a substantial risk to others.
Crimo Jr., was sentenced to two months in jail, 100 hours of community service and two years’ probation.
Multiple victims have filed civil suits over the shooting. About 60 plaintiffs have joined a suit against Crimo III, his father, gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson and gun retail shops that helped Crimo III get his guns.
Antonio Romanucci, who represents about 60 plaintiffs, said Crimo’s actions in court were “absolute unadulterated evil.” He said victims will have to depend on prosecutors to hold Crimo criminally accountable.
Among those killed were Kevin and Irina McCarthy, who died protecting their then 2-year-old son Aiden. Those injured included Cooper Roberts, now about to turn 10, who was paralyzed in the shooting, but has recovered enough to go swimming.
Lance Northcutt, an attorney for the McCarthy family, said Crimo III’s flip-flop was a “re-victimization” of the survivors. Those attending said they would be patient and wait for justice.
While the surprise plea deal rejection unfolded in court, it was mostly business as usual in Highland Park, where people shopped and ate at businesses with “Highland Park Strong” signs in the windows.
A few people paid tribute at the temporary memorial outside City Hall in remembrance of the Highland Park victims, which features flowers, a rock garden and a nameplate for each of the shooting victims.
Debbie Carlitz was walking around the neighborhood Wednesday with her two dogs and decided to visit the memorial for the first time. While she lives out of state, her kids live in Glencoe, and she said she’s followed the news of the shooting.
She said she felt sad looking at the memorial, but could tell based on how well-cared for it is that Highland Park is “a community that loves each other.”
“(The shooting) is awful,” she said. “I think we need gun control. The fact that there are assault weapons out there that have no purpose other than to kill people just makes no sense to me.”
Carlitz called what the shooting victims’ families went through Wednesday “horrible,” but hopes they eventually gain some closure when the case is finished.
Chicago Tribune’s Rebecca Johnson contributed.
